Thai Outing

Image by: http://en.petitchef.com/recipes/vegetarian-pad-thai-fid-325558

After only a week of trying out the numerous dining halls around campus, I was already starting to get sick of the same selections being offered every day at the DUC and Cox.  So, on Sunday evening, my roommate and I decided to grab dinner off campus.  Luckily, we both immediately agreed upon Thai food, since Thai is both of our favorite cuisines.  After driving around for a while, right off of campus, we spotted a Thai restaurant called Thai Chili in a strip center on 2169 Briarcliff Road.  I was a bit skeptical at first since its façade resembled any ordinary Asian fast food restaurant however, once we stepped in, the atmosphere reflected something completely different.  The décor had a very authentic Asian theme and what caught my eye was the private room in the back with tables and chair low to the ground that looked like they were bought straight from a market in Thailand and placed in the back room. It would be an ideal space for a small dinner party!  The wait staff was extremely nice, sat us immediately, and did not leave us waiting to long before taking our orders.  As I looked through the menu I was extremely excited to see that they had such an array of options ranging from numerous selections of appetizers, soups, salads, meats, poultries, seafood, rice dishes, noodle dishes and had a large selection vegetarian.  When I asked the waitress her opinion on which tofu option was the best, since they all sounded so good, she graciously offered me her opinion and steered me in just the right direction of ordering the veggie and tofu delight. My roommate opted for the cashew nut chicken and the two of us decided to split the Pad Thai. Our food arrived relatively quickly, smelled delicious, and was letting off so much steam as if it had just come straight from the wok and placed right in front of us.  As I dug into my tofu dish I was surprised by the burst of flavors the dish had. The veggies were cooked perfectly, however, I felt that the tofu was a little too tough and chewy. The stir-fry was tossed in a light, flavorful soy sauce, which was a nice balance and not to overwhelming nor did it take away from the tofu and vegetables. I poured the extra sauce from my dish over the white rice that came with my entrée (which was in a petite silver bowl with a lid on it), which gave the bland rice a nice flavor. My roommate also seemed to enjoy her chicken dish as she finished most of her plate. Next, I dove into the Pad Thai, which happens to be one of my favorite foods.  The soft vermicelli rice noodles were lightly coated with sauce, mixed with the egg and tofu (which I could not taste), and lightly sprinkled with crushed peanuts. The Pad Thai was pretty good, not to saucy or soggy like other Pad Thais.  My roommate and I left the meal feeling extremely full and satisfied, we couldn’t even finish our whole plates. The prices were decent about $8-$15 an entrée.  Although it wasn’t the best Thai food I have ever had and I thought the dishes could use a bit more heat, I feel like I’ll be back again, since Thai Chili most certainly did satisfy my Thai Food craving. 

Thai Chili's website: www.thaichilicuisine.com/ includes images, contact information, and lunch and dinner menus.