See also: Thailicious, a "beyond expectation" Thai restaurant opening in Edgewater in early December
To that end, the space is lovely, with tufted velvet banquettes; vivid original artwork, including a hand-painted map of Thailand; hanging baskets that, at one point, were used to capture fish and chicken; wooden picture frames that double as dividers; and a wall stacked with plastic bins brimming with fruits and vegetables. And while they're not real, the display adds a rainbow of bright colors. And the menu follows suit, featuring beautifully presented curries punctuated with bold spices, alongside less familiar dishes like the Thai volcano with chicken and glass noodles glistening with a sauce of sesame, and the kao mok gai, a biryani-style dish with chicken and saffron rice.
In the future, Anantatho plans to conduct cooking classes, and she hopes that the community table, which seats twelve, will encourage friends and strangers to swap stories and share dishes. "We want this to be a place where people can leave work behind and relax, enjoy each other's company and eat the kind of food that we loved when we were in Bangkok," she says.
Thalicious is open daily for lunch and dinner, and there's a liquor license, too, which includes beer, wine and cocktails. Here's a first look at what you can expect.