When it comes to Asian food, I go through phases. At age five, I tried the Americanized classic "beef with broccoli" at my local Chinese restaurant and then couldn’t bring myself to eat one of the other 50 menu items for at least seven years. Then came kung pao shrimp, followed shortly thereafter by pan-fried noodles. Pickiness was never the issue; rather, I was just so hooked on one dish that I feared straying to another.

The trend continues. Today, my initially tentative affair with Dok Bua’s pad-ki-mow has turned into a full-blown obsession. A combination of Asian chili paste and Thai basil tossed with handfuls of fresh chow foon rice noodles, this pepper-infused dish walks a fine line between roasted sweetness and a lingering tongue-burn. (Spicy-food phobes, however, shouldn’t overlook this dish: it’s more flavorful than fiery.) Tomato wedges along with strips of bell peppers and onions add gratifying crunch and textural contrast to the soft chew of the rice ribbons, and the protein is your pick: beef, chicken, pork, tofu, or seafood.

Available for $6.95 at Dok Bua, 411 Harvard Street, in Brookline. Call 617.232.2955.