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Back in the 1990s, a Thai restaurant trend that swept the country seemed to somehow skip right over Dayton. For many years, Thai West in Huber Heights was the only Asian restaurant in the region that used the word "Thai" in its name and focused primarily on the cuisine, while a handful of Chinese or Japanese restaurants would offer a scant few Thai-inspired dishes amidst their other specialties.

What a difference a decade or more makes. Now there are more than a half-dozen Thai restaurants in all corners of the valley — including in a few places you might least expect it.

We might have been late to the Thai-food-appreciation bandwagon, but we're making up for lost time — and for good reason. At its best, Thai food is robustly spiced and boldly flavored with ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fiery peppers, coconut milk, fish sauce, cilantro and Thai basil. Yet the best dishes manage to achieve an almost haunting balance among the sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors and create a whole greater than the sum of its parts, in a way that can be oddly addictive.

Check out these restaurants and see what the buzz is all about.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2258 or mfisher@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Thai 9

The basics: 11 Brown St. in Dayton's Oregon Historic District, (937) 222-3227. Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for dinner Sunday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Notes: This restaurant has improved in every aspect since it first opened. Occasionally, a dish will still come out of the kitchen with a spice level that doesn't match what was ordered (the scale runs from zero to nine), but the consistently fine food, broad menu choices and strong beer-and-wine list make this Oregon District restaurant the best choice to go for an introduction to Thai food — and in a great atmosphere.

Dishes to try: Panang Curry with seafood ($8.50 lunch/$15.95 dinner): shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid and imitation crab meat with green beans with a rich, brightly colored sauce flavored with coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves, and Spicy Fried Noodles with Vegetables ($7 lunch/$10.95 dinner), noodles with Thai basil, green and red peppers, onions and egg.

Web site: www.thai9restaurant.com

China Dynasty

The basics: 9142 Dayton-Lebanon Pike (State Route 48) in Washington Twp. (937) 433-1212. Open for lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for dinner 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Notes: Some of the best Thai fare in the region is served at a restaurant with "China" in its name. This restaurant has been slowly expanding its Thai offerings for years and now serves an impressive variety. Dishes to try: Goong Yaya ($13.95), large shrimp saueteed with snow peas, red bell pepper, onion and mushrooms in a lemongrass-infused spicy garlic sauce. Or try the Thai Stir Fry Thick Noodle ($14.95), which pairs scallops and shrimp with vegetables and noodles enhanced with a tongue-tingling chili sauce.

Web site: www.chinadynastydayton.com

Bahn Mai Thai Café

The basics: 725 Lyons Road (just off Ohio 725) in Washington Twp. (937) 435-0624. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, dinner only on Saturdays, closed Sundays.

Notes: This charming little Thai restaurant gets lost in the 725 restaurant crush, but the atmosphere, service and food make it worth the trip.

Dishes to try: Rangoon Sticks ($5) with garlic and chive, Pad Kapow-Basil Stir Fry ($7.95-$8.95 for lunch portion, $11.95-$14.95 dinner) with your choice of meat (including alligator), Twice-Cooked Fish ($14.95), chunks of catfish deep-fried and stirred with spicy sauce and kaffir lime leaves.

Web site: www.bahnmai.com

House of Thai

The basics: 3230 Seajay Drive in Beavercreek (in the Beaver Valley shopping center at U.S. 35 and North Fairfield Road). (937) 429-2236. Open for lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from noon on Saturday and Sunday. Dinner hours: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday. Open from noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Monday.

Dishes to try: Curry Puff appetizer ($3.95), a fried mixture of chicken, sweet potato and curry powder; Nham Sod ($8.99) salad, minced chicken tossed with red onions, roasted whole peanuts, julienned fresh ginger, lime juice, fish sauce and cilantro, flecked with enough dried red peppers to give it a signature Thai heat, and perfect for summer; Panang Fish ($12.99), a fried filet of grouper topped with stir-fried bell peppers and other vegetables in a sweet-spicy Panang curry sauce; and "Super Hero Duck" ($15.99) with boneless duck breast fried crisp and sliced into a mixture of bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and other vegetables.

Web site: www.house-of-thai.com

Thai Kitchen

The Basics: 8971 Kingsridge Drive, Miami Twp., (937) 436-5079. Open for lunch Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for dinner 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Open Saturday noon to 9:30 p.m. Open for dinner Sunday 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Closed Monday.

Notes: This small restaurant tucked behind the Dayton Mall has a surprisingly varied menu of soups, salads, noodle dishes, stir-fries and curries.

Dishes to try: For lunch, check out the Drunken Stir-Fry Combo ($8.50), which combines shrimp, chicken and beef with holy basil, bamboo, onion, bell peppers and baby corn with a sauce that balances Thai chili paste with a hint of sweetness.

Thai Smile

The basics: 6118 Chambersburg Road, Huber Heights. (937) 237-7767. Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for dinner seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Saturdays until 10 p.m.).

Notes: This restaurant is located in the space formerly occupied by Thai West, a Thai restaurant trailblazer in the Dayton area.

Dishes to try: Spicy chicken basil ($8.95), sauteed sliced chicken breast with red and green bell pepper, onion, basil and chili paste, and Larb Chicken Salad ($9.95), ground chicken with chili, mint leaves and lime juice served with cabbage.

Web site: www.thaismileohio.com

White Lotus Café & Diner

The basics: 327 E. Third St., Dayton. (937) 222-7030. Open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday.

Notes: You know this restaurant as the Yummy Burger, and indeed, that name is still on the green outdoor awnings, and inside, you can still order a Yummy Burger and Fries. But opt instead for the Thai food, grab a stool that faces Third Street, and enjoy the culture clash of mid-20th-century-burger-joint-meets-Asian-cuisine.

Dishes to try: Chicken Chile with Basil ($6.95), with sliced white-meat chicken served with celery, red peppers and green peppers with holy basil and dried Thai chiles, or the Green Curry ($6.95), with chicken, bell peppers and coconut milk.

Baan Thai Noi ("Little Thai House")

The basics: National City 2nd Street Market, Second and Webster streets just east of downtown Dayton. (937) 609-0028. Open Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sunday through Wednesday.

Notes: This mainstay at the market is open only three days a week, and co-owner Jerry Amato says he has no plans to open a free-standing restaurant, but if you're looking for something different while perusing the market vendors' wares, stop here for lunch.

Dishes to try: The Red Curry Special ($6) available most days includes a grilled chicken satay and three tiny Thai spring rolls with its rice and intensely flavored red curry.