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This rumpled Thai takeout nook—with six linoleum tables crowned by a tin ceiling—surprises with more-than-respectable renditions of noodles and curries. The pad Thai is saved from mediocrity by chunks of wok-fried, pepper-flecked chicken; faux duck is a tangy ode to the remarkable variances of tofu. As for the plastic squirt bottle of molten-red Thai sriracha sauce on the table: “There’s spicy and very spicy,” says the waiter with a meaningful point. What he means is a drop or two is enough. Though Marakote Siam is a bit rough around the edges, it does reveal considerate touches such as plump red cushions on the nicked wooden chairs, and globe lights that cast a kind glow on the battered floors. Most do takeout anyway. — AnneLise Sorensen

Phad Thai with chicken or vegetarian duck, $8.95; Massamun curry with chicken, $7.95