Shrimp Pad Thai

I am not a big fan of all Asian food. I have yet to find any Chinese takeout that I like; it’s usually greasy, either laden with salt or tasteless, and for heaven’s sake, why are there peas and carrots in the fried rice? Not to mention the red-colored meat. I’ve been told that it is pork, but I have never understood why there has to be red food coloring. I do love Japanese food, especially sushi. Also, in an effort to give the readers full disclosure, I am a sucker for the pink seafood sauce. I put it on everything: fried rice, veggies, meats, my fingers; that sauce is the best thing about Japanese food for me.

But, Thai food, that is my weakness. Give me a big bowl of spicy pho with beef or a plate of chicken pad see ew and I am in gastronomical heaven. When I have a cold, I much prefer a creamy bowl of tom ka gai over plain old chicken noodle any day of the week. So, I thought that I had sampled all of the Thai food that Murfreesboro had to offer and settled on the best one to frequent and get my bubble tea fix. I was so very wrong, and now I have a new spot to dine: Thai Spice.

I actually wasn’t looking forward to the visit to Thai Spice, I have to be honest with you. As stated previously, I already had my favorite Thai restaurant in Murfreesboro. I don’t like fixing things that aren’t broken. Plus, I really hate going anywhere near the campus of MTSU, especially when classes are in session. It just so happened that the day I visited Thai Spice, the fall semester had started the day before and, since the restaurant was unfortunately located in the same strip mall as Textbook Brokers, the parking lot situation was particularly hellish. As I stole a parking spot from a young blonde coed, I found myself channeling Kathy Bates in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes and barely restrained myself from shouting “Tawanda!!” as I grinned at the furious, young girl. I’m pretty sure she keyed the back of my car.

Thankfully, the restaurant was experiencing a lull before dinner and it was blissfully quiet. I was greeted by Noy, the owner of the establishment, and shown to my seat. Because I wasn’t in the mood for anything in particular, I asked him to prepare some of his most popular dishes. He smiled and asked me what spice level I preferred, to which I responded “medium” and he went to the kitchen to prepare my food. As I sipped on my Thai tea (which was excellent), I took note of my surroundings. The restaurant isn’t very big and is decorated with the usual décor that you would expect to find. The tables are mismatched and the chairs are broken in—but it was clean, and that is the important part. Well, cleanliness and the quality of the food, which in no way disappointed.

Summer Rolls

The first dish that was brought to my table was the Summer Roll Appetizer ($4.95). Crunchy carrots, sprouts and other veggies were paired with rice noodles, ground pork and steamed shrimp, wrapped up in sticky rice paper and served with a tangy plum dipping sauce. They were similar to summer rolls that I had tried at other establishments, but they were delicious and I could tell they were made right before they were served. The first entrée I tried was the Shrimp Pad Thai ($9.99). It is the most-requested Thai dish, and for good reason—it’s very tasty when made correctly. I have been to Thai restaurants where the pad thai was so sweet that I felt like I was going to get diabetes before I finished my plate. Not so at Thai Spice; the dish had just the right amount of sweetness with plenty of cabbage, egg, sprouts and juicy shrimp to balance out the noodles. (Quick tip: that wedge of lime that is served on the side of the plate is not a garnish—squeeze it over your noodles as the finishing touch. Trust me on this.)

The next entrée I sampled was the Red Curry Chicken with Sticky Rice ($8.95): tender chicken, eggplant, potatoes, bamboo shoots and peppers simmered in a coconut milk broth laced with red curry paste. There is not a single thing to not like about this dish. It was spicy, full of flavor and very satisfying. My favorite thing to do is to take a small ball of the sticky rice and dip it in the curry sauce. If you have never had sticky rice with your curry, ask for it next time. Most places don’t list it on their menu, but all of them have it.

Beef Pad Kee Mao.
Photos by Christy Simmons

The final dish that I was given was Beef Pad Kee Mao ($8.50). This was my favorite dish, hands down. It was unbelievably delicious. The dish consisted of sliced beef, sautéed with broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, basil, chilis and served with wide, flat rice noodles. The beef was very tender and not chewy, the veggies had a toothsome crunch and the Thai basil added a fresh, herbaceous note to the dish that kept it from being too heavy. The spice level was a little higher on this dish than I normally eat, but it was so good, I just kept eating even though my mouth was on fire. This is the dish that I will return for. I’m already craving it.

To wrap things up simply, if you love Thai food and haven’t tried Thai Spice, you should do so. If you have never had Thai food but have always wanted to try it, this is where you need to go. Who would have thought that Murfreesboro would have had more than one truly excellent Thai restaurant? I’m more than a little jealous of the college students who get to frequent this place with any regularity, and I plan to return to visit Noy and his excellent food very soon.

Thai Spice
225 N. Rutherford Blvd.
(615) 895-9757
Mon.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Green curry (chicken, beef or pork): $8.95; Pad Thai: $8.99; Suki-Yaki: $10.50
bestthaispice.com

Red Curry Chicken with Sticky Rice