Tara Thai came early in the modern Thai craze. Cooking, however, is best at the Vienna original, with the Bethesda location a close second. At other outposts, food is spottier. But when the kitchens are on, Thai salads such as papaya and beef are plates of cool heat. Whole-fish dishes like flounder and rockfish, with a choice of sauces, make splashy presentations and savory eating.
Chicken satay with a bright cucumber salad and addictive peanut sauce is particularly fine.
Honey roasted duck and pad see-ew are reliable standards, as are curries like panang with peanuts and basil and green curry with Thai eggplant. 4828 Bethesda Ave. 226 Maple Ave. 2001 by Washington Magazine Inc.