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Thai to die for

Thai food (Newsday Photo/Bruce Gilbert)

Everybody has a favorite Thai place. Here are 10 whose cooking and style move them well above the neighborhood storefront.

MANHATTAN

Lotus. Want a little glam with your dinner? Despite its glitzy outside, Lotus has a heart of gold, with surprisingly little attitude. At the bar, you can loosen up with a peach cocktail; for dinner, main courses include a fiery green curry, Penang duck, and steamed bass with ginger, scallions, and chiles. Then, there are all those pretty people to look at.(409 West 14th Street; 212-243-4420)

Holy Basil. One flight up, this isn't your basic East Village Thai place. It's a stylish restaurant with cooking that raises the place above the ordinary. The cooking is inventive, even managing to put a new spin on old favorites like pad thai. The green papaya salad is a winner; so is the sauteed duck. (149 Second Avenue; 212-460-5557)

Wild Ginger. In Murray Hill and looking for a tasty lunch? With its relaxed attitude, Wild Ginger fills the bill nicely. The menu ranges from well-prepared sushi to Indonesian samba, but the Thai dishes are great: Thai crabcakes, red curry with chicken, pork, steak, or shrimp; coconut curry with beef; or grilled lemongrass shrimp. Price is right, too. (46 East 29th Street; 212-686-3949)

Spice Market re-imagines Asian street food, running it through the sensibilities of superchefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Gray Kunz. The place -- as befits its trendy location in the Meat District -- is about as lively as it gets, with a main bar downstairs, and a busy, busy, busy dining room upstairs. (403 West 13th Street; 212-675-2322)

Kittichai The folks who produced Indochine and Republic opened Kittichai in the boutique hotel at 60 Thompson and endowed it with swags of Thai silk, Feng-shui-approved decor, and a glowing reflecting pool filled with lit candles. They also made sure the cooking was superb: terrific fish cakes, cold beef salad, and crispy whole fish are among the house favorites. (60 Thompson Street; 212-219-2000)

BROOKLYN

3 Bow Thais This cheerful Thai restaurant is a neighborly place for a Saturday lunch when you're out checking the shops on Smith Street. And, at these prices, you can shop till you drop: main courses go for as little as $8 or so, and desserts are somewhere in the $3-$4 range. The menu doesn't have many surprises, but what there is, is well-prepared. Service is friendly, if a little language-limited. (278 Smith Street; 718-834-0511)

Long Tan This sprawling Park Slope restaurant offers as much choice in ambience as it does on the menu. The main dining room is relaxed, there's a romantic back garden; or you can take a seat at the counter and watch the chefs work the grill. The menu has plenty to choose from. Lime-freshened crabcakes are a good bet, so are the mango-and-crab rolls. Other choices include garlicky sausages and a vegetarian curry. (196 Fifth Avenue; 718-622-8444)

Sea The Williamsburg branch of the Thai mini-chain draws a hip young crowd. You expect the fiery food, and you expect the DJ. But what about the two bars, the Buddha, and the reflecting pool? Go for the seafood, and don't miss the Drunk Man noodles. (114 North Sixth Street; 718-384-8850)

QUEENS

Erawan.One of the borough's favorite spots for Thai food, Erawan is calm and pleasant, with food that wakes up the palate: try the Tom kha, with chicken or shrimp in a broth of coconut milk and lime juice. Or try the grilled salmon with ginger and mushrooms. (42-31 Bell Boulevard, Bayside; 718-428-2112)

Arunee Thai Cuisine.Deservedly popular, the only thing wrong with this place is the fact that you may have to wait for a table. But never mind. It's worth it. What to eat? Well, there's the crab with mango salad. Shrimp salad with a breathtakingly spicy sauce; papaya salad with long beans; deep-fried fish; Panang curry. And if that's not enough, there's a truly delicious tom kha gai, the chicken and coconut milk soup. (37-68 79th Street, Jackson Heights; 718-205-5559)