The first time I ever had Thai food I was 6 years old.
For some odd reason, I was always slightly scared of trying new things, and rumors said that Thai food would be too spicy for me, so I was pretty reluctant ordering rice and curry at that age.
To my surprise, it turns out Thai food became one of my favorite things to eat and I would always recommend it to family or friends when putting my opinion in about where we should go for dinner. To this day, I will argue that Thai food is one of the highest-quality dishes out there due to its mix of flavors, healthy options and usually large portions.
As with all food types, there are higher-quality places and lower-quality places scattered throughout town, and Chico is no exception. This week, I decided to try out a new Thai restaurant that I have never been to before, Thai Express. Long story short, I am extremely impressed for a multitude of reasons.
On the outside, Thai Express doesn’t look like much. I used to walk past it daily on my way home from school not thinking twice about it. However, once you step inside, your attitude changes immediately when immersed in Thailand culture, music and atmosphere. A clean restaurant with a small seating area and outstandingly friendly staff, this restaurant exceeded my expectations right when I walked in.
There was no line and only a couple of other groups eating. It was nice to know that this quaint and cozy spot was located near campus. I definitely recommend coming here for a first date. Browsing over the menu, only a couple of things were under $11 and I was worried that I would walk away hungry.
I decided on Pad Thai, a classic dish of rice noodles, loads of veggies topped with a peanut sauce. You can choose a different meat to go on top as well as egg, but a lot of traditional Thai food is either vegetarian or vegan, so I thought it would be appropriate to give that a try. I skipped on the meat and eggs and with tip, my total came to be $11 flat.
I sat by a corner window and enjoyed the sunshine beaming through the windows. Taking in the decorations, I noticed plastic chickens on every windowsill. If you ever visit Thai Express, please don’t forget to take a picture of the plastic chickens, they are very cute.
When the waitress came with my food after about 10 minutes, the first thing I said was, “Wow.” I have never seen so much food presented to me for only $11. I had leftovers for days to come and I was not complaining.
The veggies were cooked nicely, and the rice noodles were soft and sweet compared to classic wheat pasta. The star of the show here by far was the peanut sauce and peanut crumbles on top of the entire dish. I don’t know what they put in the sauce, but I have no words to describe how good it was. The sauce soaked into the veggies and noodles, bringing everything together in a delicious sweet, spicy and savory experience.
After taking my pound of leftovers home with me, I had Pad Thai for lunch and dinner the next day.
I wish I found this restaurant sooner. It is perfect for a relaxing dinner with a loved one or even a takeout meal for late-night studying. I will see you again soon, Thai Express.
Kendall George is a Chico State University journalism student. Each week she is asked to find a meal that costs no more than $11 (one hour at minimum wage), including tip, and then write about it. Email her at starvingstudentkg@gmail.com.
