The lure worked, but unfortunately those who rushed to try Spicy's cuisine in its first month came away disappointed. Not only was there initially no Thai menu, despite the promises made by the sign out the front, but the Chinese was shockingly bland.
Of course, not all Chinese cuisine is supposed to be spicy, but those dishes that are supposed to have some firepower were lacking it in Spicy's rendition. No chili peppers were to be found in the kumpao chicken (480 rubles), let alone tingly Sichuan peppercorns -- even China City and Tan dare to spice up their kumpao more than this. Likewise, the Sichuan prawns (740 rubles) were seemingly devoid of Sichuan spicing, not to mention overpriced.
Now, however, since the late-August arrival of the Thai chef and the long-overdue introduction of the Thai menu, there's reason to revisit this restaurant, a member of the Khram Drakona, Kabanchik and Bouillabaisse family.
All the expected Thai classics are now available at Spicy, and spice levels should not disappoint if you tell the waitress you want it ostry. The tom yum soup with prawns (310 rubles) or seafood (340 rubles), tofu and vegetables in red curry (560 rubles), spicy chicken with basil (640 rubles) and fried rice with shrimp (720 rubles) have all the herbs and spices for the full flavor spectrum of authentic Thai, amounting to a satisfying meal. You can even order home delivery.
While Spicy's Thai food is up there with Moscow's best, the prices are on the high side for a restaurant that feels like a cozy spot for a casual linner on a Sunday afternoon. Most overpriced of all is the beer, at 240 rubles for a half-liter of Grotwerg. Rice costs 100 rubles a serving.
Although the designer has succeeded in creating an aesthetically pleasing interior with several different dining environments and some nice touches such as goldfish swimming around in the entry arch, it remains a small, low-ceilinged space. All that wouldn't matter so much if the prices weren't so overblown, so although the Thai food is superb, only the least price-sensitive diners are likely to be back for return visits.
27 Ul. Krasina, Bldg. 1, 254-8660, (499) 766-2222, noon-midnight, M. Mayakovskaya.
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