REVIEWS

Crystal Thai

Best Bargain
Thai Arlington Forest 4819 Arlington Boulevard Arlington, VA 703-522-1311
"Open for lunch and dinner daily. Dinner until 10:30 pm Monday through Thursday, until 11 pm Friday and Saturday, 9 Sunday.

This lovely Thai restaurant in the Arlington Forest Shopping Center is not one of the high-style Thai eateries that have sprung up. The dining room is casually elegant with crystal chandeliers, white tablecloths, flowers on the tables, and servers in traditional dress. Most neighborhood Thai restaurants seldom change their menus, relying instead on a small number of popular favorites. But at Crystal Thai, look for the specials, which vary by season. This is the time of year for variations on soft-shell crabs. They're all delicious but the version with chili sauce and basil is a standout. On the regular menu, try the wonderful green-papaya salad or spicy seafood salad for starters, combined perhaps with an order of spring rolls or steamed dumplings. For a main course, try the spicy catfish. It's crisp, fresh tasting, hot with chili and delicious. Beef pad pick kraprao, stir-fried with basil, onion, and chili sauce, is a good choice among the meat dishes, and the green (the hottest), yellow, and red chicken curries are marvelous variations on a theme. It's a menu that rewards exploration.

Washingtonian, June 1999

Additional Review (June 2001)

Additional Review (June 2000)

Additional Review (June 1998)

Additional Review (September 1997)

Additional Review (June 1997)