In the sea of Thai restaurants that flank this area, elegant Herb stands out for its lovely wood and stone décor and service staff friendly enough to use your name. This is killer food, elevated and prepared with care.

The kitchen turns out both a three- and five-course prix-fixe dinner at tremendous value, but Chef/owner Patty Neumson’s cooking is light (and delicious) enough to go the distance. A sample menu might begin with a cool pile of crunchy green papaya, carrot and cucumber, laced in a beautifully balanced lime dressing with vermicelli noodles and peanuts. Then move on to tofu and kabocha in a deliciously complex coconut curry full of wilted basil and heat. Soft glass noodles find their match in sautéed onions, fresh crab and crunchy shrimp.