Thai Aroma

Thai Aroma is one of the few choices for Thai food in Howard County, but it's a good one. It offers a fine mix of standard Thai dishes, with sauces and spices light enough to let the fresh ingredients shine through (though you can get more heat if you ask for it). We especially like their curries, chicken, duck and noodle selections. The decor is nothing special, but the service is usually good and we've rarely encountered a wait to get in.

Thai Aroma does not appear to have a web site. It is located in the Golden Triangle Shopping Center (across from Lotte Plaza) at the intersection of Route 40 and Route 29.

Thai Aroma

8815 Baltimore National Pike

Ellicott City, MD 21043

Phone: (410) 480-5100

Cha-Ya Cafe

If you have a hankering for Asian food but can't decide between Japanese or Thai, now one place has both. The Cha-Ya Cafe is a sushi and Thai restaurant that has taken the space of the former Red Parrot restaurant on McGaw Road, near Cheeburger Cheeburger and the Greene Turtle. It offers a menu that's pretty evenly divided between Thai and Japanese standards including an extensive sushi and roll list, teriyaki, hibachi, noodles, curries and vegetarian choices. They have a good lunch selection, too, including bento boxes.

The space is small but nicely decorated, with a substantial sushi bar front and center. The service on my first visit was friendly and attentive. And they mean it when they ask how spicy you want your food. My "medium" spicy Basil Chicken came with an authoritative kick and was quite good. The Cha-Ya is a pleasant alternative to the nearby chains, and we wish them better luck than the dead Red Parrot.