As I chow through the menu at Orchid Thai, it occurs to me that I don’’t eat nearly enough meals over an open flame. It’’s a nice touch, serving their spicy curries in gleaming copper bowls over a small glowing fire. It feels both homey and exotic. Plus, it serves the practical purpose of keeping the saucy dish warm throughout our extravagant meal.

Located off Route 1 in Falmouth, this is the kind of place where you can have an extravagant outing. It’’s the latest in owner Rattanaphorn Boobphachati’’s Thai food takeover. Having already conquered South Portland with two eateries, Thai Taste and Pom’’s Thai Restaurant, and established footing in Portland at the Congress Street location, Pom (as she’’s more commonly known) recently celebrated the opening of Orchid Thai, her most ambitious project to date.

With a color changing bar and a menu that reads like a phone book, it would be easy to get overwhelmed in Orchid Thai. But don’’t, because the showiness is just part of its unique charm. From the delicious drinks served in the lounge area, to the more conventional and rather cavernous dining room, every element reflects a certain level of care and attention to detail, as well as the colorful personality of the owner. Orchids dress up prettily arranged plates, and blossom-like lamps hang from the ceiling. Drinks come with bright garnishes, and food with the aforementioned flames.

Oh, and did I mention the food is great? It’’s truly great, flavorful and spicy and creative. The mango curry was my favorite dish, served with luscious chunks of fruit, tender chicken and shrimp, and sweet snowpeas. My dining companion, photographer Sean Thomas, had the sesame beef as his main meal, which both of us agreed was fantastic, savory, and rich. Sadly for our entrees, we were both a little full from our time at the bar, where we dined on Thai Tapas and sipped Tikki-style concoctions not to long before. Plus there were the mussels, and the crispy nibbles of popcorn shrimp; …perhaps extravagant is putting it lightly. The meal was several hours of decadence, and I enjoyed every bite.

202 US Route 1 | Falmouth | 207.747.5262 | orchidthaifalmouth.com