Pop Thai, Mills Ave.

I had dinner at this Thai restaurant on Mills Ave (old Yum-Mi Sandwich) on Friday. Can I first say that I'm sooooooooooooo bored with Thai (and Vietnamese) cuisine. It was a refreshing change from greasy Asian fare when it first started gaining popularity twenty years ago (at least in NYC). Now it reminds me of twentieth century Mexican. The same boring "greatest hits" dishes on every menu. Mexican evolved. I think it is high time the Thai community did as well. Challenge us to more than satay, tom yum and curry. I TRIED to support "the struggle" by ordering the most expensive/ambitious dish they had instead of succumbing to thrift and getting a reliable chicken curry. Big mistake. They pulled the Asian graft on me. That is subbing out the listed "glorified" fish for shit. In this case it was snapper for either talapia or swai. What has a silver skin with a black herring bone pattern? I thought it must be talapia because it was also on the menu. But, I'm not sure that it has that skin. What was worse is that whatever it was, it evinced freezer burn. They fried it to hide the evidence, but, I peeled off the crust. I don't love the fact that the recipe calls for frying what is a delicate tasty filet if it is what it is purported to be and then placing it in a curry bath. The dish also came with some acceptable shrimp (6). Would it kill you to butterfly them? You made a flower out of a carrot. I think you can beautify the co-star of the dish. It had some carrot and zucchini in it for color. I believe the curry (flavorful) was a green curry though it had a white color. The rice (nice heart shape pile) was over cooked. I think the dish was called Thai Delight and cost $20. They gave me an order of cream cheese "rangoon" (fried wonton) for free. I'm appreciative and it was good, but, I don't get how this dish came into being. Who doesn't think cream cheese when they thing of the jungle. Let's keep cream cheese to bagels and places with refrigeration please. The place looks nice. It has a grey/black color scheme. The furniture is new. It's modern luxe. It seats about sixty. There were around five tables seated at dinner. They were playing dance/lounge music. Service was quick and good. My real problem with place (aside from not getting what I was promised) is that we don't need another "me too" Thai place. Adding some "Pop" to it doesn't break through. They do nothing (or not enough) unique. There is no reason to seek this out. Maybe if you live near by. I believe they have been open for two weeks.