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| - "Archi's" is a name that always comes up when people talk about Thai in this town. It wasn't until recently, though, that we realized we had one right down the street from us.
The variety on the menu had me sold the first time I pulled up their website. (You can also submit an online order for pickup, and the interface allows for customization.) For the first time, I wondered if I might deviate from my usual "pad thai with tofu." The Pineapple Fried Rice, "stir fried with tomatoes, onion, green onion, pineapples, cashews, raisins, egg and cumin powder," had me tempted.
In the end I stuck to my usual, though, beginning with deep-fried tofu to share and chicken satay for Mike. The tofu was unremarkable. Not very crispy, and the sauce was ordinary. Mike liked the satay. Not the very best in the city, but good.
Our opinions bounced upward with the arrival of my pad thai and Mike's "Ginger Ginger Ginger." He's still talking about it. I found the pad thai such a treat that I'll probably finally get something different next time, just to see what else the chef can do. The pad thai tasted very similar to that at Panna Thai and Pin Kaow II - not too oily, medium-sized tofu, nuts on the side - but neither of those establishments have a menu that seems as well-suited to a curious vegetarian as Archi's.
Other Yelpers had warned readers about the heat, but we didn't heed them. Oops. We always order around a "7." Archi's "7" was more like an "8 or 9" to me, and my husband - who tried my dish as well as his, said the Ginger-Ginger-Ginger tasted like a "10 or more." Recalibrate accordingly. We're planning on asking for "5"s next time, and even then with some trepidation.
Service is reliable and the decor is light and classy, with photos in tasteful frames and natural light shining through. As you enter, Zagat accolades stand propped opposite the door. This restaurant is proud of what it does. I look forward to seeing them show off again.
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