I could eat Thai food once a week, and thus, I'm always searching for a new (or new-to-me) spot. Hence my visit to Bangkok Café, a tucked-away eatery near Swedish Medical Center. Though the restaurant is eight years old, it remains largely unknown to greater Denver—and that's a shame.

What's most telling is the obvious sense of pride that permeates the experience. The space is spiffy and clean, and Noy Brazell, who grew up just south of Bangkok, cooks each dish to order, while her husband runs the front of the house. Ask questions about the menu and you receive knowledgeable answers and helpful suggestions. Not that I needed any. I knew my order before walking across the doorstep: steamed pork-and-shrimp dumplings, pad see ew (stir-fried flat noodles with egg and broccoli), and coconut milk-rich massaman curry.

Dishes arrive as they're ready, which is to say quickly but not curiously so. The pad see ew, slicked in dark soy and studded with plenty of al dente broccoli, is among the best I've had in town. But while the massaman's flavors are spot-on, my portion was light on the promised shrimp and potato. The dumplings—obviously freshly steamed—were plated in a small pool of residual water. Even so, the flavors were so true and vibrant that none of these issues will stop me from returning.

1225 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood, 303-806-9354