THAI-ING ONE ON : <i> In the mood for something spicy? Why not try one of these recently reviewed Thai restaurants?</i>

ANAJAK THAI, CUISINE OF THAILAND (14704 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 501-4201). Don’t go to Anajak expecting elaborate decor. Do go for the food. Yum yai salad--shrimp and chicken topped with chile-lime sauce on a bed of lettuce, cucumber and onions--is outstanding. Anajak Thai chicken, sauteed with cashews and roasted chiles, is another good choice. For hot-cool spice, try the ginger beef or ginger shrimp. Chile-pepper fried rice has plenty of fire and contrasts wonderfully with milder dishes like Anajak Thai fish. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Fri., dinner only Sat.-Sun. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Beer and wine only. Street parking. Dinner for two, food only, $10-$25.

BANGKOK IV (3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, (714) 540-7661). Bangkok IV, serves exquisitely prepared Thai specialties in a small, handsomely lit room full of drop-dead elegance. Thom yum goong , sour shrimp soup flavored with lemon grass and spices, is sensational. So is taro todd , julienned strips of taro with rice flour, cashews, peanuts and celery, all quickly fried into a golden ball that’s pure crunch. Wing kai is the house specialty--deep-fried chicken wings stuffed to look like drumsticks with a mixture of chicken, crab and clear noodles. White chocolate mousse, one of the restaurant’s few Western desserts, is surprisingly good. Wash it down with a Thai iced coffee. Lunch and dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Beer and wine only. Shopping center parking. Dinner for two, food only, $20-$50.

PIN TONG CAFE (7015 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 931-2580). Pin Tong has a small, clean, living-room sort of atmosphere Pod-like booths line one wall, open tables the other. Good choices include chicken stuffed with silver noodles, shrimp made with curry paste, barbecued ribs or any of the noodle dishes. There are also special vegetarian items, no MSG is used and you can choose your level of spiciness. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., dinner only Sun. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Beer and wine. Parking in rear or street. Dinner for two, food only, $8-$20.

RAMA GARDEN (8828 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 855-1214). Rama Garden, directly across the street from trendy Spago, may be the only Thai restaurant with a $90 bottle on its wine list. Aside from that bottle of wine, prices are quite reasonable. A good appetizer is Thai toast, crisply fried bread topped with minced pork and shrimp. Yum yai-- romaine lettuce tossed with red onion, carrot, crisp black fungus, hard-cooked egg, beef, pork, chicken and shrimp bathed in a spicy-sweet dressing--seems more like a Thai-influenced California patio salad than an authentic Thai dish, but is delicious. Lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner nightly. MasterCard and Visa. Beer and wine. Street parking. Dinner for two, food only, $10-$30.

TALESAI (9043 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood (213) 275-9724). This is one of the more peaceful restaurants in town. Better yet, the food is exceptional, filled with subtle flavors and quiet refinement. Try a unique dish called hor mok served in little conical caps that each hide tender pieces of shrimp and squid bathed in an irresistible sauce, or the “Talesai special,” which arrives on two plates. The first holds a tasty combination of minced pork, shrimp, peanuts and coconut; the other plate has bits of crisp rice with which to scoop up the delicious mixture. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri., dinner Mon.-Sat. All major credit cards. Beer and wine. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $20-$50.