Standing out in a town with more than 100 Thai restaurants is no easy task. But Manao Thai Street Eats on restaurant-saturated Capitol Hill, one of the latest entries into this crowded field, manages to do just that with the buzzing atmosphere and vivid flavors one would expect on the busy streets of Thailand.
The menu: Like any self-respecting street-food joint, Manao posts its offerings on a board up front. The appetizer, soup and salad offerings include crispy chicken in tangy pandan leaf sauce ($9) and moo khum whan, marinated and grilled pork tenderloin on a bed of shredded cabbage with green beans and the restaurant’s house sauce ($12).