The Pagoda gives you the chance to dine right on the water, with spectacular views of the lake. The building is an airy pavilion extending over the water, designed by Chinese architects to take advantage of the site. The pagoda-style roof, with its genuine Chinese beaming and joinery, is indicative of the management's attention to detail. The noodle soup overflows with chunks of tender stir-fried chicken, doughy homemade noodles, and crisp slices of fresh cucumber -- but make sure to ask specifically for the homemade noodle version; the spicy Thai chicken coconut soup is an exotic light meal in itself. For light, healthful food, the Thai-style steamed dishes, including fresh fish, are good choices. There are Chinese choices, but the Thai side of the menu is the most interesting. Avoid the goose-leg faux "spareribs" that have been imposed upon the restaurant in the name of kashrut, replacing Pagoda's once-famous lamb-spareribs. During the Sabbath, the Pagoda opens its nonkosher affiliate, the charming House Restaurant, just across the road on Gdud Barak Street (Fri 1pm-midnight, Sat 1-4:30pm). The menu, prices, and phone number are the same as the Pagoda's -- the one difference is that it operates on the Sabbath (and is the best choice in town for Fri night and Sat dining).
