6 SE 28th Ave., 503-360-1453, paadeepdx.com. Lunch and dinner daily.
It's infamously difficult to get a seat at Earl Ninsom's Thai dining experience. Reservations for the dynamic, bold tasting menu at Langbaan are made months in advance, and occasional last-minute openings are swooped up in moments. Luckily, there's Paadee, the attached, more casual (but no less exciting) restaurant featuring inventive Thai. $$-$$$$.