While eating at Lotus of Siam, I admitted to my friends, who are crazy about Thailand and its cuisine, that since I returned from Bangkok and Chiang Mai, I rarely eat Thai food anymore. It’s not because we don’t have good Thai food in New York, for I’d happily slurp a bowl of noodle soup from Pure Thai Shophouse or make the trek to Sripraphai in Woodside; I just don’t seem to crave the often heavy-handed flavors I associate with Thai food in the United States. But after our meal at Lotus of Siam, my craving for Thai food has come back with a vengeance, and I’m more disappointed than ever that the New York outpost of Lotus of Siam did not work out. The decor and service at the original Vegas restaurant is not worth talking about, but the food is genuinely delicious. One section of the vast menu focuses on northern Thai cuisine, which has the mild and delicate flavors that I fell in love with in Chiang Mai. One of the dishes that reflects this lighter flavor profile is the green chili dip, a mix of roasted green chili, garlic, onions and tomatoes pounded in a mortar and served with sticky rice, fried pork skins and fresh vegetables — a good starter that paved the way for the rest of the meal.