Bites Nearby: Tree Top Thai Cuisine

Tree Top Cuisine, at 53 Prospect St., has an unassuming exterior, partly because it's located on a busy commercial street (you can get relatively cheap gas across the way). But the interior is quiet and attractive and, most importantly, the food is uniformly good. As Thai eateries have proliferated, with the usual variation in quality, it's nice to have a relatively new place (it opened in 2001) that's worth repeat visits.

Good bets: On a recent outing with four others, all the dishes were good, from the pad thai and crazy noodles to curried chicken and duck choo chee. At least so far, then, it seems like it's hard to go wrong. And the selection is wide-ranging, too, from a "Dancing Mussels" appetizer to a main dish called "Tofu Miracle." And there's a separate luncheon menu.

The Vibe: Friendly, casual, and intimate. What better atmosphere is there for dining?

Cool factor No. 1: Like most sushi establishments, or good French restaurants, Tree Top serves many of its dishes in artistic arrangements.

Cool factor No. 2: It's fun to eat somewhere that's good and off the beaten path – so one can brag about it later to friends.

A touch of trivia: The restaurant is named in honor of a father in the extended family, whose Thai name was that of a tree, and also because "tree top" is "a good name in English."