Wild Thai Restaurant, Los Angeles

Waiters weave among columns, bearing an array of Thai dishes that match the bright oranges and greens that leap from the decor in Wild Thai Restaurant's dining room. Chefs stir tart lemon sauces and simmer duck in a coconut broth with red curry, tomato, bell pepper, and basil, the resulting crimson sauce complementing the swaying orchids on the tabletops. Glowing sconces bring to life the gilt accents on statues and paintings, which shimmer above plates of flat rice noodles. Sriracha sauce splashes a pepper-infused bite across meats marinated overnight. The burn is counteracted by thai iced coffee, which is traditionally allowed to steep tableside and mixed with sweet condensed milk or thrown into the face of somebody who thinks Home Alone 3 is the best Home Alone.