Being a girl who came all the way from Hong Kong to CoMo, I deserve to devour anything that tastes as good as the food from my hometown. Hong Kong is also known as the “Gourmet Paradise,” where you can find any authentic food from any country. Therefore, I am determined to satisfy my appetite and discover what is out there in this small town and tell you all about it from an international point of view. This week, I would like to share an experience from a Thai restaurant downtown, Thip Thai Cuisine.
Instead of having Pad Thai, the most common Thai dish, I have settled for green curry with shrimp. This dish can be easily seen in every Thai restaurant in this town. With green curry, you will have the option to choose from chicken, beef or shrimp. Green curry is best with chicken or shrimp. Beef, on the other hand, is usually the best combination with yellow or red curry.
Curry
Before focusing on the dish itself, here is some information about curry. Curry originated in South Asian countries, such as India, China, Japan, Thailand, etc. Thai curry is one of my favorites, mainly because the flavor comes from ingredients like lemon grass, lime leaves, garlic, other spices and herbs and most importantly, coconut milk. You should understand your tolerance to spiciness before you order, which are divided as red (hottest), yellow (mild) and green (little spicy).
The presentation
This dish usually comes with steam rice on the side, or it will be too heavy to taste on the curry itself. Unlike other Thai restaurants in town, Thip Thai serves its Green Curry on one flat rectangle plate together with the rice, instead of separating them with a bowl.
The taste
Like regular Thai green curry, apart from the shrimp, there are a variety of vegetables being cooked with the curry, including bamboo shots, green peas, peppers and carrots. The curry was not as spicy as the green curries served in the other restaurants in town, in fact, the spicy taste came in just before I finished the dish. The taste of it didn’t remarkably stand out from other Thai restaurants. However, what I like about this dish is the portion. It is just about enough for myself, not too small that I would still feel hungry afterwards, but not too big that I would have leftovers.
The decor
The ambience was good for a restaurant. While playing soft Thai music in the background, the lights were dimmed in a way you can see the person sitting across from you. With the high ceiling, they have built another level right above the ground floor. One thing I have to mention is the ‘welcome’ sign they have inside the restaurant. The sign also includes some Thai language, which is quite interesting and authentic.
Overall
This restaurant did not stand out from the number of Thai restaurant in town. The price is average, not particularly expensive or cheap. However, it could be a place for couples or friends, who want to enjoy a quiet, relaxed dinner.
Thip Thai Cuisine | 904 E Broadway, Columbia, MO 65201 | (573) 442-0852 | thipthaicuisine.com
(Photos by Loretta Lee)