Fodor's Expert Review Ayada Thai

There are plenty of great Thai restaurants in Elmhurst, but Ayada tops them all (in fact, it announced plans to open a branch in Manhattan's Chelsea Market). Operating out of two storefronts directly next to each other (you go wherever there's a table, and it can get quite packed), Ayada serves up fiery, flavorful Thai favorites as well as some dishes you've never heard of before. A favorite appetizer is raw shrimp served with a slice of garlic, bitter melon, and chili paste that will knock your socks off, and the aromatic E-sarn sausage, eaten sliced with ginger and peanuts. For a table of four, the succulent whole fish is a bargain.