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Best Bargain Restaurants: Tara Thai

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Tara Thai
Vienna , Bethesda

It's an easy guess that the owners of this stylish bistro hail from Thailand's seacoast and that seafood is a specialty. Surrealistic murals in deep blues and greens give the feeling of being adrift in a giant aquarium. Even the tables echo the Neptune motif with wavy sea grass.

Among the best choices are the whole fish and crab preparations. Boned at the table, rockfish steamed in plum sauce and served with a spicy chili-peanut dipping sauce is subtle and delicate. Of the two crispy flounder dishes, the version paired with a chili-and-garlic sauce is the favorite, hot without being a scorcher. The same sauce works admirably on the fried soft-shell crabs.

Noodle dishes also have a light touch. Cellophane noodles with shrimp, pork, hu-nu mushrooms, scallions, and egg are a standout.

The most interesting appetizers are hoi obb, fresh mussels with lemongrass and basil; yum talay, seafood and vegetables with spicy lime dressing; larb gai, minced chicken and herbs with lime juice; and nua sawan, a Thai take on carpaccio, fried and mated with Thai coleslaw. The best of the curries is the green gaeng gai, with chicken, bamboo shoots, and eggplant.

Dessert shouldn't be missed, whether it's the mango and sticky rice (seasonal), Thai coffee ice cream, or the pale green, mildly flavored pandan ice cream. If mangoes are in season, go for the tall fresh-fruit daiquiri, one of the hits on the lengthy drinks list.

The newer Bethesda restaurant is bigger, with tables farther apart. The menu varies a bit as well.

Tara Thai , 226 Maple Avenue West, Vienna; 703/255-2467. Open Monday through Thursday 11:30 am to 3 pm and 5 to 10 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 3 pm and 5 to 11 pm, Saturday noon to 3:30 pm and 5 to 11 pm, Sunday noon to 3:30 pm and 5 to 10 pm. AE, DC, MC, V. MapIt!

Tara Thai , 4828 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda; 301/657-0488. Open Monday through Thursday 11:30 am to 3 pm and 5 to 10 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 3 pm and 5 to 11 pm, Saturday noon to 3:30 pm and 5 to 11 pm, Sunday noon to 3:30 pm and 5 to 10 pm. MapIt!

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

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