We're Going on a Thai Hunt (Review 2)

by Elizabeth Young

Driving down 56, the restaurant practically jumps at you from around a bend in the road. We were warned to keep on the look-out because people often miss it. It’s completely unassuming, this little one room restaurant and converted barn, but you can smell the spice from the miniscule parking lot. Thai Siam is a family owned restaurant that no one expects. From the very first glimpse I got of the little restaurant, I knew I could classify it as a small business with a cult following.

The room itself looked like someone’s living room. The only difference was the two refrigeration units in the corners. There were couches with blanket throws and a curio cabinet in the corner filled with china cups and other figurines. My personal favorite knick knack was the pair of golden deer on top of the shelves. The TV in the seating area was playing an Asian channel but there didn’t appear to be subtitles or sound. A pile of old magazines from Thailand and Thai cookbooks were on the coffee table. I flipped through them quickly, thankful to leave the cooking for someone else. As antiques often appear, the room looked dingy, maybe even dirty. The overall effect was wholly unappetizing.

But the smell. Oh! The smell. It brought the hunger right back. Everything in the restaurant was completely infused with curry, pepper, and basil. I have had my share of Thai food, but no restaurant has managed to utterly fill the air with the scent. I was definitely interested again, but somehow the restaurant itself managed to disinterest me again.

Just like my first experience with a Cafeteria restaurant, the dining protocol was difficult for me to eke out without asking for guidance. The restaurant has “take out” in the title, because that’s how most people order. There was a rumor that no one was supposed to be allowed to eat-in at all, but somehow we managed. I only counted 10 dining seats in the entire building, plus some deck dining. A friend and I awkwardly stood by, wondering where to sit, if we should sit, how to order, etc. We finally bit the bullet, and sat in a faraway corner and went to the counter to order. I got my standard, beef fried rice, and my friend got the green curry.

We wanted an appetizer. We couldn’t get one. It says on the menu that several dishes are so popular that they sell out and won’t remake them. Fried wontons? Thai dumplings? Nope. We get it! It’s a wildly well-liked wunderkind, but I personally still have an inclination that service industries should serve. I don’t like being inconvenienced, and this policy of not giving me fried wontons really was a nuisance. It’s at this point that the only thoughts I had were “this food better be worth it.”

It was excellent. I ordered Thai Hot, the supposed top of the heat scale. Being raised by parents who encouraged us to add pepper to everything, I have never had a problem with spice. The main conclusion I drew from Thai Siam’s definition of hot, however, was that every other Thai restaurant has lied to the American population about what “Thai Hot” could mean. I concede that it was, in fact, too hot for me. I am pleased to report that I was literally sweating. And I had to buy a few extra bottles of lemonade to cut the burning. Of course I didn’t stop eating it. It was delicious!

Thai food is smoky, and spicy, and features basil prominently. This was no different, and while it was good, with the exception of the heat it was nothing special. As one of only two Thai restaurants within a forty five minute drive, I could not help but compare it with Thai 99 in Lynchburg. Price wise, Thai Siam is a little cheaper, but the difference isn’t significant enough to merit comment. The menu selection is larger at Thai 99. I would say that the food is better at Thai Siam, but Thai 99’s service is much more inclusive. So it boils down to choice. If you want Thai food with consistency, service, and accessibility stick to Lynchburg’s Thai 99. If you want to have an adventure and do something really inopportune but really fun, venture forth, my friends, to Thai Siam.

As my friend and I ended our quest for the little Thai restaurant, we tried to maintain our composure. Neither of us could finish the entire dish because it was so spicy. As we drove back we just couldn’t stand it. Ice Cream was required and the Colleen Drive-Inn, right up the road, served that purpose excellently. The perfect ending to a fiery day? Soft serve ice cream and the windows rolled down.