Step inside the small basement foyer in Shaw where Thai X-Ing customers wait (and wait) for their takeout orders, and you might feel as if you've entered the parlor of an eccentric professor who likes to cook. All the senses are treated here, with the burbling fish tank, the sounds of sizzling pans and the sight of homey, mismatched furniture, candles, books and, on display, the owner's own pen-and-ink artwork. And then there are the smells -- the warm, sweet aromas of Thai ingredients.

Just beyond a curtain that swags over the kitchen doorway you'll find Taw Vigsittaboot, chef and owner of the small takeout place he opened in March of last year. The 48-year-old native of southern Thailand cooks with the calm and self-assurance reserved for cowboys and Zen masters.

While his salmon with red curry ($10.95) and pork ribs in green curry ($7.95) are delicious, they aren't so different from other renditions in the city -- except, perhaps, for their alternative main ingredients. However, his distinctive pad thai ($7.95) is infused with a harmonious blend of ginger, pickled garlic and a touch of red chili paste.

Another exceptional dish is the chicken Vigsittaboot ($7.95), a combination of earthy flavors such as white soybean paste and oyster sauce, complemented by watercress, onion, mushrooms and a healthy dose of freshly crushed white pepper. The spring rolls ($3.50 for three) are nice and crisp, even after a 20-minute car ride home. And the sweet sticky rice with mango ($4.95) ends a meal perfectly, with its coconut-milk drizzle and sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

But gratification from Thai X-Ing, a takeout and delivery place only, can be delayed. This is not fast food. Your best bet is to call about an hour before you plan to arrive.

"When people come to buy food, they are hungry. But I cannot feed them just the food," says Vigsittaboot. "And I figured out that my way of cooking takes time, so they can look at the books and at some of [my] artwork on display."

-- Rina Rapuano (June 2006)