Dining Guide

Mai Pham’s groundbreaking restaurant, which introduced Sacramentans to the flavors of southeast Asia, may be over 20 years old, but crowds still pack the house, whether in the quiet main dining room, the livelier fireside bar or the private dining room. Popular dishes include the pad Thai, Thai green curry and New York steak with peanut sauce; the tender shaking beef with pineapple is another winner. But the peak experience here may be the pan-roasted Dungeness crab with shallots, ginger and black pepper on a bed of garlic noodles, served as a seasonal special only when the crustaceans are perfect. That dedication to perfection has won a loyal following: The restaurant keeps a list of more than 60 fans who expect a call alerting them when crab is on the menu.