The Justice

Media Credit: Julian Agin-Liebes Erawan of Siam is decorated with multiple, intricate wood carvings, ornate columns and exotic statues, which give the restaurant an exotic ambiance.

The list of restaurants on Moody Street less frequented by students includes purveyors of the unspectacular, places catering to an older or wealthier crowd and a few undiscovered gems. Erawan of Siam may seem like it belongs to the latter on account of its quality, but in reality, its quiet nature is not because Brandeis students aren't aware of the restaurant. Regardless, while the prices at Erawan are a bit steep for some (around $12 for an entrée), they are beyond merited. For Erawan boasts an incredibly relaxed and upscale atmosphere, swift service and, most importantly, excellent Thai food.

The atmosphere exudes "mountain palace." Intricate wood carvings on the walls, ornate columns and exotic statues make the restaurant fit for Thai royalty from centuries past. Lighting and fountains soften the setting, which has the quality of those in a $20-a-plate restaurant. For what is probably a family-run endeavor, Erawan hides its simple origins well, scoring high in class.

The sophisticated atmosphere was enhanced by our waiter, who was dressed in white with black slacks, and the presentation of our food, which came out on a wooden cart with a white tablecloth. Water glasses were never allowed to sit empty; some staff member was always waiting to swoop down and fill them up again, but then again I suppose it may just have been a slow night. I prefer a less active waiting staff, and I feel that incessant service interrupts an evening, though this is more a matter of preference and circumstance than a criticism of the service. Let's leave it at "the wait staff was well-dressed, courteous, and prompt"; interpret that as you will.

I usually judge the quality of a Thai food restaurant by the merit of several dishes, those being pad thai, tom kar gai and basil chicken. Perfect pad thai has enough peanut to create subtle flavors while establishing harmony with the lime juice, spices, and native meat (usually chicken, shrimp, or both), while poor pad thai is either overly dominated by a peanut taste (and usually looks artificially orange) or is under spiced, oily and plain. Erawan struck the perfect balance; its pad thai possessed an alluring flavor with that signature pad thai sweetness while still remaining simple, soft and earthy. The dish was more like a home-cooked meal than the pad thai one purchases from street vendors.

Tom kar gai, for those unfamiliar, is a chicken broth- and coconut milk-based soup with lemongrass and chilies and often with chicken and mushrooms. This minimal dish leaves little room for disguising quality with an overwhelming flavor. Again, Erawan performed wonderfully, building a sensuous and delicious soup akin to grandma's chicken noodle in the way it warmed the very heart of my being. The third dish, massaman curry, continued in the tradition of home-style, hearty, delicious dishes.

In summation, Erawan of Siam surprised me; the outstanding dishes were prepared with a minimal yet exacting art and accurately exhibited a mastery of Thai food. A serene and palatial setting lifts the diner from winter Waltham into the mountains of Thailand. Dinner was made into an experience, and each dish was an apex on its own. Go there and see for yourself.

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