You won’t find green eggs and ham at the Siam Café. But you will find the wonderful blend of Indian and Chinese food that is Thai food.Located on Esplanade Avenue in the French Quarter, the café gives you the option to sit either outside or inside – on the floor, in traditional Oriental style. The outdoor patio is decorated with palm leaves and Thai trimmings to make the experience complete.Diners who decide to sit outside walk by the staircase to the Dragon’s Den. The Siam Cafe is basically a restaurant serving great bar food. The food is reasonably priced and adequately tasty with a few drinks and some Thai tea. We started dinner with po peah tod (appetizer, $4.95). These Thai spring rolls are served with a sweet curry sauce in addition to the standard sweet and sour sauce. For those who enjoy the nutty flavor of curry, this is a must. Those who dislike curry, stay away.Pad thai, a rice noodle dish, is a staple of Thai cuisine. Although different than I was used to, this pad thai was wonderfully delicate and hard to put down.My vegetarian friend insisted on the garuda noodle dish with tofu.I was disappointed in the quality of the tofu -cooked more on the rubbery side of tasty – but the vegetables that accompanied the noodles were fresh and crunchy. Garuda noodles are small thin rice noodles served in a curry broth that is surprisingly sweet and sour. Again, if you do not like curry, stay away.The prices at Siam Café are reasonable – $8-12 per entree. It’s a low-cost dining experience, but don’t expect extensive service. You may have to ask to get your drink refilled. However, it is all a part of the unique casual experience of the café.After the meal, step upstairs to the Dragon’s Den and enjoy a Thai iced tea – a milky semi-sweet tea. This unique bar has much the same feel as the restaurant, with the addition of live music. The Dragon’s Den is the true appeal of the establishment. The intriguing experience upstairs really makes up for the food downstairs.

Siam Cafe, with the music venue Dragon’s Den upstairs, has some of New Orleans’ best Thai food. Customers have the option of listening to the nightly music performer while chowing down. (Ignacio Chacon)