Bar/Club

I've been to places like Buddha before. Nearly every aspect of the Thai restaurant and bar, located in a heavily-trafficked strip of Belltown bars and restaurants, is familiar to me: the bamboo shafts separating the dining room from the bar, the 1980s dance pop soundtrack, even the adjective-laden menu. (At Buddha, your standard Thai dishes are "cuddly," "pleasurable" and "pulsating." The restaurant is lucky that its menu hasn't induced a police raid.)

However, despite the fact that Seattle has Thai restaurants aplenty, Buddha doesn't put me in mind of any of them. Buddha reminds me of restaurants I visited in Thailand several years ago -- some in Bangkok, some in Phuket. Through accident or design, Buddha presents a sort of meta-Thai restaurant experience: It doesn't feel like an American place striving to be Thai, but a Thai place striving to appeal to Americans. Hence: the pop music, the selection of Jello shooters, and the "pulsating."

All that being said, it's not a bad place to nosh. I ordered a bowl of red curry chicken, bell pepper and bamboo that was better than many I've had. The "penetrating" pad see iew -- rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, carrots, broccoli and fish sauce -- was tangy and satisfying, though not as flavorful as the plate you'll get at Ballard's Thaiku. In other words, it wasn't the greatest Thai food I've ever had, but it's very far from the worst -- and it's a good, solid lunch or dinner option for that part of Belltown.

The bar is another story. Quite unlike the tourist-friendly restaurants and bars of Bangkok, Buddha's bar is softly-lit and largely tranquil. I can't quite figure out why, seeing as all the necessary elements for a successful Belltown bar are in place: a DJ stand, heavily-poured sweet drinks, a pretty girl behind the bar. Yet, even with a respectable turnout and the hits of the 1980s blaring, Buddha sits in quiet contemplation, its patrons seemingly afraid to shatter the tranquil vibe.