Thai Noon
2635 NE Alberta, 282-2021
My personal dinner favorite at Thai Noon is the green curry. Not too sweet, it has a smart array of veggies and tofu for the vegetarian, and ample portions of beef or chicken for the meat head. Another classic fave here is the Pad Thai. A heaping pile of rice noodles tossed with green onion, egg, bean sprouts, and ground peanut makes for a simple winner. A more lavish dish I recommend is the three flavored fish. The fish–in this case salmon–is one flavor but with three sauces, basil leaves, and rice. Throw a couple salad rolls into the mix and some green tea ice cream, and you’ll have yourself a little Thai food party. JFK
Ya Halla
8005 SE Stark, 256-4484
Ya Halla’s food is simple and cheap. You can get freshly baked pita (which is so moist it melts in your mouth) and a big bowl of Lentil Soup for $4. Sometimes it’s enough to last you two days. Ya Halla also makes the standard fares of falafel sandwiches, hummus, and tabouli salad. All are excellent and worth trying, but for those of you that are a little tired of the old standbys, I suggest the Makaly Plate. It’s a combo of eggplant, squash, and vegetables, deep-fried, then topped with garlic and lemon juice. The balance of fresh vegetables and deep fried goodness makes for a savory delight. MB
Blue Nile
2225 NE Broadway, 284-4653
It seems like most Ethiopian restaurants are the same: sparse spaces, plain tablecloths, television on, religious and nostalgic art on the walls, and curt but friendly service. Between the Blue Nile and the Abol Café–neither offers noticiable ammenities over the next–and both offer spectacular food. So how do you decide? The answer: I don’t know. Most recently I ate at the Blue Nile, which gives you an ample vegetarian lunch plate with three kinds of beans (the red variety are delicious and smoky), collards, and cabbage for $6.50. The ingera was fresh and warm, perhaps less sour than usual, and I guess if I had to tout this place over the next, I’d say my garlic breath was almost non-existent. KS