Pasara Thai, 360 Engelhardt Lane, Alexandria, VA (near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, across Duke Street from the King Street Metro and near the Patent and Trademark Office), 703-299-8746 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) Yelp]
Definitely worth a try. I ate here after a talk I gave at Motley Food, in downtown Alexandria. They told me they were taking me to an “average” Thai place. I insisted they let me “speak sternly” to the waitress. It took a few rounds, some back and forth, and some visits from the kitchen. I told everyone that we were “serious eaters” and had been to Thailand and wanted the food “Thai style” and that I wanted their best dishes. I refused to order anything but simply repeated these instructions. They told me this would require an adjustment, but eventually it came, a meal for five people, hand-cooked by the chef.
It was one of the very best Thai meals I’ve eaten in this area — ever — superb in every way. The minced chicken with basil was especially good, also the drunken noodles and the chinese broccoli with small pork fritters. I can’t promise you’ll succeed in getting the same treatment, but like I said it’s worth a try.
I’m still reeling from the quality and the experience.
They are often called “drunken noodles” but in fact they are “Drunkard’s Noddles” (Pat Kee Mao ?????????). They are particularly spicy and thought to cure drunkenness.
What’s the top picture of? It doesn’t look like any of the dishes you mention.
Dungrats in Arlington (near 7 Corners). Spend 3 weeks in Thailand eating at tourist places and local’s places and this comes the closest and is the best. Funny, the Thai food in Thailand and here is pretty much the same. Not true of Chinese food.