A year ago, Thai House was set in a drab Arvada strip mall that looked as though it would crumble at the slightest nudge of a nail. And the dank interior gave me no compelling reason to linger, even if the wonderful curries did.

Thai House recently abandoned that dreary storefront when the building's landlord shooed it - and every other tenant - away to make way for (you guessed it) another Wal-Mart. Good news, I suppose, for some, and great news for this indelible little Thai joint that escaped to far brighter quarters that buzz with conversation.

Despite the kaleidoscopic color scheme - pistachio- and mango- hued walls, mosaic Formica tables, sparkling tile floors and cobalt blue bathrooms - the space still feels emblematic of a budget ethnic joint that favors substance over style.

Open the door and the warm, gripping aromas of fish sauce, chilies, lemongrass and Thai basil fill the air, a telltale sign of what's to come.

The staff is simultaneously soft- spoken and enthusiastic, wide-eyed over the amount of food littering the table but all smiles when they see how much we're enjoying the parade of dishes. The food is a similar assemblage of nice and spice, deftly balancing the Holy Grail of Thai flavors - spicy, sour, salty and sweet.

For evidence, look no further than the larb ($7.95), a sassy ground chicken salad served warm and tossed with lime juice, pungent fish sauce, mint leaves, subtle overtures of chile heat and rice powder. It's delicious, as is the calamari salad ($8.95), its tender, citrus-splashed rings backed by the fire of chilies, playfully tickling the palate.

Soups come in all guises, but the spicy tom kar kai ($4.50 small, $7.95 large), chockablock with chicken and lemongrass stalks and soothed by the mellow richness of coconut milk, should be bottled and sold by the barrel. I also like the po teak ($10.95), a steaming seafood hot pot floating scallops, shrimp, mussels and imitation crab meat, but the soup, devoid of that expected citrus-y tingle, tilts too far to the sweet side.

When we think of sausage, it's rarely the Thai type, but I'd happily have the sai ua ($6.95) for breakfast - unorthodox or not. The knobby, garlic-specked nuggets, served with sides of roasted peanuts, lettuce leaves, fresh jalapeños and chile sauce, is what every lettuce wrap wishes it could be. I also like the chicken sate ($5.95), four grill- marked, white meat skewers paired with a warm peanut sauce tasting faintly of honey.

Adherents of Thai cuisine inevitably (and mistakenly) look toward pad Thai ($7.95), the country's benchmark noodle dish, as an indicator of success. It's seldom prepared properly, and the version here, I'm sorry to say, is no exception. The color is off - too much paprika? - and the clumsy mess of cloyingly sweet noodles, curiously absent of scrambled eggs and the requisite tart of lime, ends up in a to-go container for further scrutiny.

Instead, behold the excellent curries in all their flavor-bombed glory. If you walk on the mild side, order the Masaman curry ($7.95), judiciously spiced with exotic Middle Eastern nuances and canoodling with potatoes, slivered onions and peanuts.

Sweet basil, splintered bamboo shoots and rings of red and green peppers rev up the racy green curry ($7.95); panang curry ($8.25) benefits from the richness of creamy peanut butter. Another winner: pad prig khing ($7.95), a spirited stir-fry abundant with tender beef, snap- crackle green beans and translucent carrots.

There are several sweets to satisfy your sugar cravings, but the sigh-inducing mango and sticky rice ($4.95) is proof that a restaurant should never be judged on pad Thai alone.

Thai House

• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sunday

• How much: $3.95-$6.95 starters; $3.50-$11.95 soups and salads; $6.95-$10.95 entrees

• Reservations: Not required

• Noise: An audible hum

• Parking: free lot in front of the restaurant

Lori Midson is a Denver-based dining writer. Contact her at lmidson@gmail.com.