Research is tasty at Thai eatery

Thai food isn't just Pad Thai anymore.

Unless you're our dining companion, who gets Pad Thai every time we go to Elephant Thai Restaurant. But that's fine, because the Pad Thai there is excellent. Then again, so is everything else that we've tried -- and we've tried a good-sized chunk of the menu.

Nestled in the VCU/Fan area (which means parking can be problematic), Elephant Thai is a neighborhood restaurant worth driving to. It features impeccable service and a wide variety of traditional, fresh Thai food.

Thai food is good any time of the year. In the winter, the spices can warm you up (although in Thailand the temperature does not fall below 45 degrees); in the summer, the food is light enough to make the meal a refreshing repast.

On our most recent visit to Elephant Thai -- they also have a branch at the Hopewell Crossing Shopping Center -- we decided to forsake our usual healthful-seeming basil chicken ($7.95) or drunken noodle ($7.95) for the coconut milkinfused red curry with chicken ($7.50). For the sake of research, you understand.

The red curry paste (a blend of red chili peppers, shrimp paste, lemongrass, garlic, coriander and salt) was blended with the aromatic coconut milk for a hearty broth, into which small pieces of chicken breast, bamboo shoots, green bell pepper and Thai basil were placed, with a little chili oil drizzled on top. Served with a mound of jasmine rice, it was a miasma of delicately blended flavors, spicy and rich.

Our companion got the Pad Thai ($6.95), of course. For the sake of research, we sampled some of hers -- half the plate, if you must know, because we were hungry. It was actually a tad greasy this time, although previous research-based tastings have proved the dish to be reliably satisfying.

Also, for the sake of research, we started with an appetizer of crispy rolls ($3.95). These four small, fried vegetable spring rolls were nicely crunchy and healthful -- right? -- because they have cabbage in them. They were served with a red dipping sauce that was a little sweet, not cloying.

In the past, we have ordered the mango and sticky rice for dessert, which is typically sublime. We didn't get it this time, because how much research can a guy do?