When you walk into Sweet Tamarind, you get the impression that you've stumbled into someone's house, where the residents happen to be running a Thai restaurant in their living room. While there's only space for about fifteen tables, the bright yellow walls and high ceiling give the restaurant a roomy feeling. Several tiny sculptures on miniature shelves cover one wall, and Thai paintings of landscapes and women dancing fill out the rest of the room. A few tables in the corner, just barely lofted above the main floor, provide a great for more intimate dining. The food ranges from the essential curries and noodle dishes to original concoctions like the Fiery Jungle Curry and the Beef Paradise, deep fried beef marinated in "special Thai herbs." The fancy white tablecloths and ornate wooden menus belie the great prices (most dishes hover around the $8 mark), and on warm days the back door opens up for more seating on the patio. The restaurant is BYOB ($2 corkage), but the giant Thai iced coffees and teas make it worth leaving the wine at home.

Centerstage Reviewer: Mac McCormick