The metro's oldest Thai joint was looking a bit tired and forlorn when it burned to the ground after a lightning strike in 2005. But when the Bangkok Pavilion reopened last year, the new dining room was shiny and immaculate; the reconstructed restaurant had even created a separate room just for its lunch-buffet steam tables, which are loaded with a fine array of curried chicken, vegetarian phad Thai, steamed mussels, pork potstickers and spicy pad grapchow — minced chicken and basil. There's the ubiquitous crab rangoon, of course, and the Thai orange chicken tastes very good even if it isn't something you'd find in the real Bangkok. If you want authenticity, try the coconut-flavored gelatin on the dessert bar.
