Thai food at Pattaya, only steps from campus

If you are looking for a quiet place with exotic Thai food but don't want to stray too far from campus, Pattaya Grill may be just the place for you. The restaurant, tucked away on 40th and Chestnut streets, specializes in Thai dishes ranging from Pad Ka Proa, meat stir-fried curry in chili paste sauce, to the traditional Pad Thai dish ($8.50) -- which won Best of Philly 1996. To get the most out of the restaurant's atmosphere, request a seat in the back room of the restaurant. There, you will find a beautiful patio-like room surrounded by large glass windows and ivory colored walls that give you a view of the restaurants' fir trees. The room is surrounded by Thai paintings and woodblock carvings, which can be enjoyed while eating dinner over floral tablecloths and candle light. We began our meal by sharing the Golden Angel Shrimp appetizer ($5.95). The six jumbo shrimps were fried golden brown, covered with crispy coconut flakes and fried to perfection. They also came with sweet and sour chili sauce. This appetizer is more than anyone could ask for, with its crispy outer coconut coating and soft shrimp meat on the inside. For those of you who are looking for a spicier appetizer, the restaurant recommends the Tom Yum Kai soup ($2.95). The chicken lemon grass soup is super spicy and a must if you want a true taste of Thailand. The burning sensation you feel at the back of your throat is a dream come true for Thai food lovers. For our entrZes, my date was looking to try something, new, different and incredibly spicy. The waiter suggested the Pad Pa-Ta-Ke, or stir-fried alligator meat ($15.95). According to the waiter, the dish is extremely popular with spicy and exotic food lovers. Without hesitation, my date decided that he would have the alligator, while I was feeling more conservative and opted for the Drunken Noodles ($9.95). To my surprise, the alligator dish was not what I had expected -- the stir-fried alligator meat was served with eggplant, basil, bell peppers and herbs in homemade curry -- served with rice and vegetables on the side. If you've never had alligator meat, I promise you it's better than it sounds -- much softer than beef but richer in taste than chicken. Though spicy, it's definitely not overdone as it leaves a pleasurable spicy aftertaste in your mouth. The Drunken Noodles were not disappointing either. The flat rice noodles were served with shrimps, scallops and calamari. The noodles taste softer than Pad Thai noodles, and the added seasoning with basil leaves and sliced fresh tomatoes give the dish a filling but light taste. Just when I thought that I could not eat another bite, the waiter came out with the dessert tray. Dessert menus are changed on a regular basis and are a must if you ever eat at Pattaya. The night we were there some of the choices included tiramisu, carrot cake and mango mousse. Only two words can describe the dessert -- absolutely delicious. The white mousse was served with three globs of whipped cream topped with chocolate, strawberry and mango syrup. The mousse is unusually soft with chopped mango bits inside. Our dinner came out to about $50, including tax and tip. If you are not looking for a full-course meal, however, do not expect to pay that much -- entrZes range from $7.95 to $15.95.