Eating Thai

No form of basil tastes good to me, nor does coconut.

Both are simply unappealing, in my humble opinion. Given this fact, Thai food has also held little appeal with its heavy reliance on coconut milk and frequent use of Thai Basil.

My first “forced encounter” with Thai food was in the 1990s while visiting my sister and her family in Boston. They L*O*V*E Thai food and took me to their favorite local place (name escapes me). It was in the Jamaica Plains neighborhood in Boston in a lovely little building with great atmosphere. Unfortunately the food lit my mouth on fire! I remember being blown away by the level of spice (they recommended I get a mid-level degree of spice, which is extremely hot for a person who does not handle spice well). After this experience, I do not remember trying Thai food again for nearly two decades.

My journey back to Thai food was a strange one. I love peanuts. Once, while at the Cheesecake Factory in Nashville, I tried a peanut noodle dish. For a few years, this was the only dish resembling Thai food which appealed to me, and ultimately led to me seeking out a local Thai restaurant.

Eating Thai is restaurant I have been passing by on my way home from work for quite some time. On this particular day, I was craving a peanut and noodle dish of some sort. No idea if they had such a thing, but went in to see the available offerings. The Chicken Pad Thai lunch special, at $8.00, seemed the right re-introduction to Thai food served with Miso Soup and Spring Roll. The flavor level choices were 0,1,2,3. I chose zero – no spice.

I don’t know if there is a great way to describe the smells and tastes of the dish, but here we go: Yummy, delectable, aromatic, savory, and scrumptious. But its not the end of the story. I loved it so much I have become a regular customer. My favorite food remains the Pad Thai, but I also love fried Gyoza and shrimp dumplings. The owners remember me when I come for lunch. They know what I want before I tell them. I am very tired of getting food to go and soon will be back eating in person at their place of business because their service is as excellent as their food!

If you have any inclinations to visit our suburb just northeast of Nashville, you should do yourself a favor and go see business owner Thitanan Usasiri at Eating Thai, 115 Walton Ferry Rd, Unit 2, Hendersonville, TN 37075 and you will come away a fan of Thai food for life!

Based on this fabulous introduction to Thai food, I have now tried yet another local Thai restaurant near me, Blossom & Cellar Door Craft Cavern. My husband wanted to go somewhere local for date night and we decided to try somewhere new. We thoroughly enjoyed the place but the dish that stuck in our minds and caused cravings was their jerky with sticky rice. It was sticky, chewy, and unctuous. I have no idea what the seasonings on the jerky included, but they literally sang in my mouth. While we have now tried this dish numerous places, theirs is the best we have ever eaten.

This Thai-Lao eatery and gathering place is inviting and serves a wide array of local brews as well. Swing by at 750 W Main Street, Suite B, Hendersonville, TN 37075 and check out their eclectic offerings and enjoy their cozy atmosphere for a little date night of your own!

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Be Blessed!