Some dishes exist to show what a kitchen can do when it stops playing it safe. For us, that dish is the Spaghetti Squid Ink Tom Yum Lobster. It is dramatic on the plate, jet-black and glossy under a whole lobster tail, and it is grounded in real Thai flavor rather than shock value. It is the plate first-time guests photograph before they take a bite, and the one they talk about on the way out. Thai flavor, Italian form The idea is simple to say and hard to pull off: take the soul of tom yum and wrap it around pasta. We toss squid ink spaghetti in a rich, creamy tom yum sauce built on lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, galangal, fresh chili, and lime. It reads as Italian at a glance and tastes unmistakably Thai on the first forkful. That tension between what your eyes expect and what your mouth gets is exactly the point. Why squid ink The squid ink is not just there for drama, though it certainly delivers on that. It lends a subtle brininess, a whisper of the sea, that ties the pasta to the lobster and the tom yum together. Without it, this would be a good pasta dish; with it, the whole plate tastes like it belongs to the ocean. It also stains everything the deepest black, which is why it photographs the way it does. The tom yum sauce The sauce is where the Thai heart of the dish lives. We take the same aromatics that go into our tom yum soup, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime, chili, and lime, and build them into a creamy reduction that clings to every strand of spaghetti. It is hot, sour, and fragrant, richer than the soup but unmistakably the same family. If you love our tom yum, this is that flavor turned up and served on a fork. The lobster Crowning it all is a succulent lobster tail, sweet and tender against the deep, spiced sauce. Lobster can get lost under a heavy sauce, so we cook it carefully and let it sit on top rather than buried in the pasta, so it stays the star. Sweet lobster, briny squid ink, and hot-sour tom yum is a combination you do not forget in a hurry. The dish people remember This is the plate I would order to convince someone that the best Thai food in Atlanta is not always the most traditional. It is generous, made to be shared, and it turns an ordinary dinner into a bit of an event, which is why it shows up so often when guests describe my thai restaurant to their friends. It is also a favorite for anniversaries and celebrations, when people want the meal itself to feel like a gift. Where to find it The Spaghetti Squid Ink Tom Yum Lobster lives on our Chef's Creations menu at 3872 Roswell Road NE Unit 18B, Atlanta, GA 30342. If you love the tom yum flavor here, try the tom yum soup that inspired it, or our Lobster Pad Thai for another take on lobster. If you have been looking for a thai restaurant near me with a dish worth a special occasion, this is the one. Call (404)-343-1516 to reserve a table, and come hungry. What does squid ink taste like? Squid ink is subtle, not fishy. It lends a gentle brininess, a whisper of the sea, that ties the pasta to the lobster and the tom yum sauce together, along with its signature deep-black color. Is this dish spicy? It carries the hot-and-sour character of tom yum, so there is real warmth to it, balanced by the creamy sauce and sweet lobster. It is bold rather than punishing. Does it contain gluten or shellfish? Yes to both — it is made with wheat pasta and lobster (a crustacean). Please tell your server about any allergies. For a lighter seafood option, consider the Chile Garlic Sea Bass.