Pad Thai Makes a Filling Lunch at Main Street Eatery

Smithtown's main drag is a study in diversity, from American to Italian, Mexican, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese ... and Thai. Here's how Thai House at 53 West Main Street does one of the more traditional dishes of this Far East cuisine.

The Dish: Shrimp Pad Thai lunch special ($10.95) served with salad and a spring roll.

Ingredients and Taste: Soft rice noodles are tossed with a tangy and sweet sauce, crushed peanuts, thin strands of scrambled eggs, baked tofu, bean sprouts and scallions. Shrimp are large, and the tails are left on, so keep your napkin handy. It's creamy and thickly sauced, with the peanuts offering a bit of texture to liven it up.

Eat this because: All the kids want to eat is meatloaf, and you're dying for something exotic.

Sides: The Thai House lunch special comes with soup or a cool, crispy side salad with a tart peanut dressing (cucumber dressing is the other option). The meal also comes with a piping hot spring roll stuffed with cabbage and served with a vinegar-based sweet sauce.

The Drink: We can't fathom how Starbucks hasn't caught on to Thai Iced Coffee yet ($2.50) – hear that, Panera? Strong coffee served over ice with sweet condensed milk floating on top is one delicious pick-me-up.