Photo by Robert Cohen (Post-Dispatch)
Rice Thai Bistro
A moment I haven’t forgotten from my review visits to Rice Thai Bistro in 2015: Bryan Prapaisilpa, who operates the restaurant with his wife, Nina, took my order for red curry with beef but then gently suggested that, if I wanted beef, I should order green curry instead. He was right, of course — though I’d happily eat the restaurant’s green curry sauce, heady with chiles, galangal, fresh basil and makrut lime, simply by itself. That personal touch, both in hospitality and in the complex flavors of the Prapaisilpas’ cooking, is what brings me back to Rice Thai Bistro for the green and other curries and signature dishes such as khao moo daeng (barbecue pork over rice).
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2014