If you've got an office full of people who need feeding, Evanston's Thai Sookdee will fit the bill. The spacious Thai restaurant mostly caters to the business-suit crowd, but its size also makes it a good choice for big groups. With an abundance of dark wood, plants and a raised area with cushions for floor seating, it pulls of a pleasant feel.

While Sookdee offers a nice break from the long lines that clog more popular places, it doesn't serve the most authentic food. Solid, Americanized versions of popular dishes seem to be the norm. Appetizers don't venture beyond the standard rolls, pot stickers and rangoons. The pad thai tasted less peanut-y than most and had few distinguishing flavors. But with a large menu filled with a variety of noodle, curry and rice dishes (the rice costs extra, though), it's not too hard to find something enjoyable. And, for an additional fee, you can pile on extra portions of meats, veggies, noodles or seafood until you get your fill. Be forewarned: The two-pepper entrees are very hot.

Sookdee shines at lunchtime, when it serves a special menu that includes an appetizer, soup and one of seven main dishes (cashew, sweet and sour and green curry to name a few) for $6.95. It also offers delivery service during the hours it's open.

Centerstage Reviewer: Kent Green