The BU area's go-to spot for authentic Thai cuisine offers locals a perfectly romantic, and affordable, date spot.

Colorful fish tanks, framed butterflies, cream colored walls and metallic fans conspire to set a distinctly romantic mood, much to the satisfaction of the many young couples who stop in before a show or after a study break. For the uninitiated, Brown Sugar's epic menu provides a flavorful intro to the pleasures of Thai fare. Experienced diners revel in authentic preparations of favorites like choo chee fisherman (seafood with a kaffir lime-spiced curry sauce) and masaman curry. Newbies can select from dozens of not-too-spicy, not-too-foreign options like crunchy spring rolls and cloyingly sweet pad thai. So-called ''gourmet originals'' offer more than a dozen bases for a choose-your-own-adventure experience.