In the warehouse end of Lawrenceville, next to the fenced-in lot of TK's Auto Sales, identifiable by its faded gilt streamers, rustling in the wind, is pleasant, homey La Filipiniana. If you drive along Butler Street, you've passed it, but you may not have noted the skinny three-story house with the white lattice archway.

Now, new horizontal blinds and a blue neon sign with racing lights make the restaurant stand out a little more. Now, the lastingly cheerful Filipino fare and hospitality has merged with Sweet Basil Selection, an equally genial Thai venture, and the eatery offers simple fare from both Thai and Filipino cultures.

Inside, a pleasing remodeling job painted the walls and woodwork in welcoming warm tones of mustard and brick. The space is bright and blond, with plants and wooden screens to break up the narrow, rectangular rooms. Most of the furniture was held over from the La Filipiniana of times gone by, which, at the end of its tenure, had come to resemble someone's living room, complete with dusty cabinets, makeshift window treatments and stacks of mail on the tables. There are the same mismatched chairs now, but every seat sports a matching china blue chintz cover, and the tables are draped in white cotton.

Munch noticed that the walls of the front room are lined with pictures of Buddha, Thai dancers and worked bronze plaques. The back room is bedecked with strange paintings of Noriega and uniformed men marching out of the sea, done in bright colors with thick lines, as though they were painted by a child.

"Hmm," Munch thought, doing a bit of chin stoking and head nodding, "very intriguing."

More intriguing is the menu, which features an even Thai/Filipino split. Munch decided to order a bit of each, matching Thai rice paper roll to Filipino steamed dumpling, and trying a curry from either culture. For good measure, and because there's little better than tofu done well, with a crisp skin and a milky interior, Munch ordered eggplant tofu with basil sauce.

The Filipino dumpling, siopao (pronounced "shen pow") is a raquetball-sized, bready ball filled with savory slivered vegetables, minced chicken or pork. Munch's veggie version was very light, with a texture not unlike scrunched Wonderbread.

Thai fresh rolls were the better choice, fat with lettuce, basil, mint, vermicelli and identically slim, square planks of tofu, cucumber and carrot. They exploded in the mouth, literally, falling all over Munch's shirt: the rolls could have used an extra layer of rice paper to corral the goodies inside.

Filipino shrimp curry was bland and runny. An occasional sliver of red pepper added crunch. But the Thai green curry, redolent with basil and a sharp green tang, was fantastic. Strips of beef were tender, broccoli was crisp, zucchini and snow peas were just soft enough. Eggplant tofu with basil sauce was Munch's favorite. The tofu was firm to the teeth, with a spicy sauce spiked with basil and steaming purple Japanese eggplant roasted into silky softness.

To drink there is sinus-clearing hot lemongrass or ginger tea, Thai iced tea or coffee, or "gingerail" -- for your sore tummy, Munch guesses. At lunch you get a free spring roll; anytime the restaurant is open you can tote in your own booze for only $1 per person corkage.

On your way out, by the door, in place of the usual Star Kisses or butter mints, there are Skittles, so you can taste the rainbow.

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La Filipiniana/Sweet Basil is at 5321 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (412-781-8724). Open for lunch Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; open for dinner Mondays through Saturdays, 5 to 10 p.m.