spice culture
By Ryan Coleman
things up
at Downtown Thai
111 W. Water St. Price Range: $10-$20 Rating: high five
I was hungry. Really hungry. I called a friend (partly for her restaurant expertise and partly because guys who eat by themselves are weird and creepy) and decided to try something exotic and fresh; not quite Chinese food, but not quite Taco Bell. We ended up on Water St. at a place called Downtown Thai. Upon walking in, I made the following observations: Downtown Thai has a great atmosphere. It’s clean, simple, and open with high ceilings. The restaurant’s décor has a “traditional meets modern” feel. I was very impressed. No alligators with sunglasses or street signs on the wall (but if that’s the effect you’re going for there is a full-service bar). No running water, fish tanks, or twangy music. Just a lot of black and white with straw placemats and chrome stools. Our waiter was courteous, extremely helpful, and seemed free of any obvious communicable diseases (another advantage over Taco Bell). Items on the menu weren’t “order by number.” The dishes had names that didn’t start with “Mc” or end with “Delight.” There were pad Thai and curry dishes, as well as a variety of entrees for vegetarians and carnivores. There are a number of pleasing appetizers ranging from eggrolls to chicken wings. Many of the dishes are reasonably priced for less than $10. If you don’t mind photo by Dan McCool paying a little extra, I recommend ordering one of the specialty entrees. These range from about $12-$20 and are dishes that include everything from duck, chicken, and steak to seafood and even a variety of whole fried fish. All of the meals are served with creative sauces, combinations of vegetables, and rice. Upon ordering, diners are given a choice for the level of spice for their entrée. The range goes from…ok get ready…one-star to fiftystars. Yeah, that’s right, I said fifty. Not a typop (that extra p on the other hand, is). One-star is a very mild heat. Fifty is a “I just ingested a spoonful of liquid hot magma” heat. Being a relatively sane person (and because I’m particularly fond of breathing), I ordered a four-star dish, which came fast. It came very fast; in fact, I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that I’ve had pop tarts that took longer (I’m looking into getting a new toaster). Both the pad Thai and the curried duck dish I ordered were beautifully presented, generous in size, and delicious. The pad Thai was teeming with chicken and an assortment of vegetables. The spice from the curried duck was wonderfully balanced by pineapples, limes, and basil. As to the intensity of the four-star heat…well, all I can say is a fifty-star entrée must be able to melt small kittens. My friend and I cleaned our plates and enjoyed every bite. When the check came I was pleased to see both meals cost less than thirty dollars. We paid, I kissed the waiter as is customary (or so I thought), and we left completely satisfied (not as satisfied as the waiter). I give Downtown Thai a high five.
V’s
hidden
gem
of the month by Julia Jeffrey
WHAT: Artspace is a student-run gallery that displays a variety of visual artistic expressions from painting to photography to sculpture. It holds monthly opening receptions that are free and open to the general public. WHERE: Located just beyond the Newcomb Ballroom on the 3rd floor. WHEN: The opening reception is on Friday, October 15th from 6-8pm.
artspace
WHY: October’s exhibit features photography from Cuba and Egypt taken by Kenneth Garrett, David Alan Harvey, and Michael Yamashita, who work for the National Geographic. They will be at the opening reception to answer any questions. AND…free food! photo by Alex Sonneborn