Chy Thai Cuisine

2720 Canyon Blvd., Boulder

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. lunch, 5 to 9 p.m. dinner, daily

303-440-2903; chythaicuisine.com

* What: Thai food, including noodle, curry and stir-fry dishes.

* How cheap is it? Lunch offers the best deals. Though you'll likely save only about 50 cents between lunch and dinner, every quarter counts when you're on a budget. Unless you have a hankering for sugar, skip the pricey Thai tea and coffee. Ask for water and indulge in an appetizer instead. Most dishes range from $8.75 to $11.75 for lunch portions. Avoid the more expensive shrimp and seafood and order the chicken, pork, beef or tofu to save some bucks.

* Our deal: We started with spring rolls ($3.95) and each ordered regular iced tea ($1.59). We shared an order of "drunken" noodles with chicken ($8.75) and a bowl of tom yum soup with tofu ($5.95).

* So how's it taste? The spring rolls - a paper-thin wrapper embracing tofu, carrots, cucumber and sprouts - were fresh and crunchy, although the peanut sauce was a bit sweet. After only one bite of the drunken noodles, we were staggering. Then weeping. Then blowing our noses and wiping our eyes. The rice noodles, in a chile- and Thai basil-infused sauce, packed a fiery punch, but the burn didn't overwhelm the delicate flavors. Tom yum is no ordinary veggie soup. You'll be spooning up baby corn cobs and pea pods, which swim happily in a lemongrass- and chile-accented broth with bok choy and tofu. Bliss.

* How's the place? From the outside, it would be easy to overlook this restaurant, tucked in a strip mall near the 29th Street Mall. Inside, etched steel walls divide the dining area and help keep the noise down in this modern marvel. If you want takeout, there's a counter to order and pick up. From your table, you can watch the busy chefs working in the kitchen; like our waiter, they seemed to be having a genuinely good time. Happy staff people are always a good sign.

* Who else eats there? We saw lots of 20-somethings. No doubt, this is a magnet for college students as well as vegetarians - nearly every dish has a tofu option. Although we spotted no families on this visit, Chy Thai is a fine place to bring kids. The tables are big and spaced far apart, and there are plenty of non-spicy noodle dishes.

* Deals we wish we'd tried: The "drunken" noodles were so good we're eager to try mild pad Thai. We're told curries are popular, too.

* Final damage: $23.99, including tax

Maria Cote is an assistant features editor at the Rocky. Want to nominate a restaurant for this column? E-mail lehndorffj@RockyMountainNews.com.