Pam Real Thai Food

It was about 20 degrees last night; I was starving, but didn't want to walk another block in the cold. Since I happened to be right around the corner from Pam Real Thai Food, I walked in.

A sign announced "cash only." I had $17 in my wallet, so I strategized about how I could enjoy soup, an appetizer and dinner and still have enough money left over to leave a good tip. I ended up with steamed chive dumplings, tom yum koong and vegetable green curry (vegetarian main courses were only $5.95). The menu included more exotic offerings like anchovy rice, fried baby mackerels, kaeng tai pla (a spicy dish with lime leaves and fermented fish kidney), and a salad of ground pork with lime and fried chilis.

My tom yum koong soup was tangy and pungent with lots of lemongrass, cilantro and hot chili. It contained two plump shrimp and a bunch of halved white mushrooms. The bowl was small but the flavors were big. Three chewy pouches stuffed with chives were next, accompanied by a sweet soy-based sauce. I think I might have preferred the dumplings fried, but I was trying to be healthy for once!

Next came a plate of jasmine rice and the vegetable curry. Unfortunately, this dish was not very filling, and I looked on with envy at the large plates of noodles that other tables had ordered. My curry consisted of three small steamed cubes of tofu, some shredded bamboo shoots and a few sprigs of greens in a mild, coconutty broth. Tasty, but next time I'm going to order a deep-fried whole fish or crispy duck.

I have a feeling that if I lived in Midtown West, I'd be ordering in from Pam Real all the time, because there are a lot of things I'd like to try, and the food is good and inexpensive.

Pam Real Thai Food: 404 West 49th, (212) 333-7500.