Thai Medallion

The Pad See Ew arrived with wide rice noodles that had picked up a smoky char from a wok running at proper heat, glossy with dark soy and studded with Chinese broccoli and egg. This is what wok hei tastes like when a Thai kitchen doesn't dial it back for the suburbs. Thai Medallion sits across from the Naperville Metra station in a space that prioritizes flavor over decor, and that trade-off works entirely in the diner's favor. The green curry, thick with coconut milk and fragrant with Thai basil, carried a slow-building heat that crept up between spoonfuls. When we asked for Thai-hot on the larb, the kitchen delivered without flinching: a fiery, lime-bright minced chicken salad that cleared sinuses and demanded sticky rice. Bring your own bottle here: the BYOB policy means a good Thai meal with wine costs half what you would spend at most downtown restaurants.