You can't ride through many Chicago neighborhoods without passing at least a half dozen Thai restaurants, many of them on the same street. When deciding which one to spend your hard earned cash at, many factors come into play: ambiance, quality and quantity of food, service, cost. This narrows the field considerably. One locale that makes the cut is Wicker Park's Pot Pan Thai. From the outside, it doesn't look like much. Inside, the space is open; beautiful wood and copper accents and raised seating catch the eye.

Pot Pan offers up a typical Thai menu: Spring rolls, egg rolls, satay, pot stickers and the necessary dipping sauces, some sweet, some mild, some spicy, whet your appetite while you wait for the MSG-free main course to arrive. Most cost less than eight big ones and are well worth the money. The panang and green curry dishes are customer favorites, and understandably so. The portions weigh in at enough for two, and you can have your pick made with your choice of beef, chicken or pork. The grilled eggplant, sans chicken, is equally impressive, perfect for veggie types with big appetites.

Food inches toward the spicy side; if heat's not your thing, be sure to ask for the mild version, which, in reality, is still quite fiery. Feel free to cool things down with a the crisp white wine you BYOBed, or with a post-meal scoop of coconut ice cream. Basil and sweet peppers pop up in almost every dish on the menu: As a result, Pot Pan's food smells and tastes heavenly. Service here is efficient, if a bit hurried. Staff zips from table to table, making sure customers don't want for anything. Smiles from wait staff are fleeting, but the food is memorable.

Centerstage Reviewer: Venita Griffin