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Best Bargain Restaurants: Crystal Thai

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Crystal Thai
Arlington

The attractive serenity of this arlington Forest restaurant comes as something of a relief after the splashy colors and fantasy decors the new generation of Thai restaurants has gone in for. The tables are draped in white tablecloths, the female servers wear lovely Thai skirts, and the male servers wear Thai silk shirts. Unlike some successful restaurants whose kitchens seem after a time to go on automatic pilot, Crystal Thai frequently revises its menu and introduces new dishes.

Among the new appetizers worth trying are kanom jeeb Thai, small steamed rolls filled with chicken, pork, and shrimp in a spicy sweet-and-sour sauce, and two appetizers made with Black Tiger rock shrimp, one minced and one whole, both wrapped in wonton skins and deep-fried.

Good main courses recently have included (very) spicy squid and a homey Mussaman beef with potatoes and peanuts in a curried coconut-milk sauce. In season, don't miss the soft-shell crabs. Green curry chicken with bamboo shoots and basil leaves in coconut milk is another good choice.

Crystal Thai , 4819 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington; 703/522-1311. Open Monday to Thursday 11:30 am to 10:30 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 11 pm, Saturday noon to 11 pm, Sunday noon to 10 pm. AE, D, DC, MC, V. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

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