After growing up on the excellent Thai cuisine in Seattle, I was sorely disappointed by Cambridge Thai food . . . until I found The Similans. I'd tried all the usually Thai spots around Harvard Square - 9 Tastes, Spice, Smile Thai, etc. - and never found anything that was better than mediocre, so I decided to head further afield and check-out The Similans because it's part of the Brown Sugar group of restaurants that won for best Thai in Boston. I was not disappointed. Conveniently located a couple blocks from the Cambridgeside Galleria, The Similans' exotic fish tank and elaborate Thai artwork make for a great ambiance. And, of course, the food was excellent! Not only did the restaurant have the usual East Coast-style pad thai (white noodles and slightly sweet), but it also carried what I'd been craving for months . . . authentic (spicy, saucy) pad thai! There was also a huge array of other tantalizing dishes, and I would highly recommend the ice cream with sticky rice for dessert.
Pros: fantastic food, nice setting, timely service, reasonable prices
more