"Eating at Erawan in Rittenhouse feels like having dinner at your favorite aunt’s house. Everyone gets a personal welcome, the dining room is warm and smells great, and you’ll leave just a bit more full than is comfortable. None of the Northern Thai dishes here are blow-your-mind delicious, but the drunken noodles, fried chive cakes, and massaman curry are all reliable. We usually lean heavily on the chef’s specialties—the tender kor moo yang and mountain of crab fried rice are standouts—especially when we're with a group. Just make sure your dining companions are exceedingly polite. If they offend your aunt, you can never go back. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Food Rundown Khao Mok Gai Braised, fall-off-the-bone chicken and turmeric rice topped in a fragrant, Northern-style curry and crispy noodles. When it’s cold and angry outside, this is a dream dish. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Crab Fried Rice Just grabbing a spring roll or shrimp roll? Add this fried rice. Need a side to go with the spicy papaya salad? Add this fried rice. You’ve ordered one of everything else and your friend who always orders too much asks if maybe you need just one more thing? Add this fried rice. You get the idea. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Fried Whole Fish This fish is not on the regular menu, but it's almost always available as a special. A whole snapper gets fried and tossed in a fragrant pool of ginger, garlic, and soy, along with cashews and peppers. It’s light, moist, and good to share. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Kor Moo Yang If you’re looking for a meaty main that's not on every Thai restaurant menu in the city, this is a good one. The grilled marinated pork is smoky on the outside but still sweet and tender inside. It’s served with sticky rice, but we like eating this with the crab fried rice." - Alison B. Kessler
