Java Thai

How a grimy little corner coffeehouse with a single chef (and her son working the front of the house) manages to cook much of anything—much less a well-balanced, anise-scented green curry, loaded with chunks of Thai eggplant and basil leaves—is something of a mystery. Bland noodle dishes and disappointing desserts don't do much to explain things; even though the massive cakes are made in house, ignore them. If there's even a small crowd, the wait for food can be senseless, but we'll take dependable curries and fluffy, onion-dense curried fried rice over logic any day.