Readers' Choice Dining Guide: Thai

Teak is packed for dinner practically all year long, so you can usually expect a wait, but the restaurant has a relaxing bar area for patient patrons to grab a drink or two before being seated. The restaurant has a comfortable indoor dining area as well as a spacious outdoor patio that has plenty of feng shui. Teak’s huge menu offers a number of traditional Thai noodle, rice and curry dishes made with chicken, beef, pork, tofu or seafood items like shrimp and scallops. Sushi is also a big favorite here.

Lemon Grass offers dependably delicious, spicy and inexpensive fresh cuisine. Pair those qualities with the restaurant's excellent tea, beer and wine selection, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate Thai comfort food experience.

Bangkok Bistro is especially famous for its pad Thai. This cozy bistro has a full bar inside, or you can sit out front under an umbrella if the weather is nice. Lunch specials include drunken noodles, roasted duck curry and siam noodles. They have a nice-sized sushi menu, along with dinner entrees like crispy duck and salmon steak.

Thai Taste is the place to go when you want to order Thai food on a tight budget. This eatery offers a wide variety of wraps, curry, sauces and spice levels. The sushi menu goes on for days, from the tofu roll to the Crazy Roll.

The influences of all of Thailand's geographical regions are reflected in the menu at Sweet Basil, which also specializes in sushi dishes. Among the favorites: pad Thai, chicken Thai spicy and duck noodle soup.

Some like it hot, but you can get it mild, too. Arloi Dee has been said to have the best Asian Cuisine by several different local publications. Its food reflects Chinese and Thai, as well as a touch of some other Asian cultures. Arloi Dee has something a little extra that other Asian restaurants sometimes don't: dessert. Their creative Asian-infused desserts are sure to delight, like the Thai custard with sticky rice.

Thai-lovers in Northern Kentucky can stop by the Mai Thai in Florence on Hwy. 42 for traditional Thai dishes all day long, including its house special Pad Thai, Thai noodles stir-fried with egg, green onion, bean sprouts and crushed peanuts in a special sauce. Mai Thai, which serves lunch and dinner daily, also features a full-service wood-paneled sushi bar.

Thai Namtip looks like your basic strip-mall restaurant on the outside. On the inside, the restaurant is clean and casual, with Asian décor. Once seated, scan the menu for your Thai favorites and maybe some new surprises. They've got curry items, duck, seafood, stir-fry, noodle dishes and several vegetarian dishes. Specialties include items like the Orange Chicken and Cashew Nut Stir-Fry.

Ruthai's is a little nook of tasty Thai deliciousness nestled in Mount Lookout Square. With everything from Chilean seabass to sushi to curry (the mango variety comes well-recommended), Ruthai's expansive menu knows few bounds. There's plenty for vegetarians to enjoy as well, plus Ruthai's also has a BYOB policy.

Can’t choose between all of the tantalizing Indian cuisine on Ludlow? Switch it up and go for Thai. This sit-down restaurant puts you right in the middle of the action on Ludlow and has a sizable front window that’s great for people watching, plus a vintage decor that brings a diner atmosphere to Thai cuisine. Known for having the best pad thai in town and a regular following of fans, drop by for lunch or before a movie at the Esquire.