An der schönen, braunen...Tschau Praja?

[muckefuck]

Whatever I expected to find in Thai Spice, it was not a garrulous Viennese. As he handed me a menu, he said something about the nasty rain outside; I replied that at least it wasn't snow, and he was off! We talked for five minutes about his garden (I recommended that if he liked hummingbirds, he should plant some butterfly weed, and he eagerly wrote down the name) before we even came back to food again. With his caterpillar eyebrows and Mitteleuropäischem accent, I initially expected him to tell me he was Croatian. As I left, he good-naturedly told me that we'd have to speak more German the next time.

After all this, it would've been a real shame if the food hadn't been good, but even if I don't necessarily agree that the pad thai is "the best in Chicago", I would certainly go back for it. The sauce had a rich, roasted flavour without the cloying sweetness that is the bane of this dish in most Thai restaurants. I ate less of nam sod for reasons of reflux, but was equally impressed. Everyday Thai, you may have lost your pride of place on the local scene!

Comments

[carneggy.livejournal.com]

Thai Spice is great, and the owner is (as you found) a very approachable host.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

So how did he end up owning a Thai restaurant? I never had a chance to ask.

[gopower.livejournal.com]

Via Metromix:

Thai Spice offers truly authentic cuisine in a formal and traditional setting. If your back--and sense of adventure--are strong, Thai Spice has a handful of tables where you can recline on the floor and eat as they do in the East. Austrian-born owner Anthony Hubich went to university with the intention of opening a hot dog stand in Lincoln Park. Instead, he met his wife and now-chef Vatsana who turned him on to Thai cuisine as a healthier and more unique option. Their partnership has been delighting north side and Loyola diners for over a decade.