I was thrilled when Exotic Thai opened in Lithonia, because usually I have to drive all the way to Decatur to get Pad Thai or Pad See Ew or any Thai dish. I was also apprehensive; new restaurants are a risk. And It's no fun to splurge on a Sunday lunch only to be disappointed by the food and out of ten dollars.\r
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It was Sunday though and I had a deperate craving for Thai food. I usually judge a Thai restaurant by how good their Pad Thai is. It's a common dish, so it should reflect the potential quality of other dishes. You know, setting the bar pretty low and working my way up.\r
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The servers were polite and quick. I recieved a complimentary baskets of shrimp chips soon after I arrived. They were a delicious and promising sign.\r
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When my Pad Thai arrived and I wafted away the steam I was a little shocked. The Pad Thai was bright pink. The noodles were pink. The chicken was pink. The tofu was pink. And the peanuts were crumbles of pink. I tried to remain positive. Maybe the chef had a signature ingredient that turned his Pad Thai pink to distinguish it from others? *doubt*\r
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It tasted as pink as it look. The saccharine sauce tasted very much like the sauce from sweet and sour chicken you get at your local cheap-Chinese food place.\r
The noodles were rubbery and I had to chew carefully. After a couple bites I called over my waitress concerned that perhaps I'd gotten the wrong order, or maybe the cook was having an off day, or anything other than that this mess was their very best version of Pad Thai. \r
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""Yes, ma'am. That is how we normally make it.""\r
""Have you had Pad Thai before?""\r
""Pad Thai is very sweet ma'am. It's a sweet dish.""\r
""Have you had it here before?""\r
""I am sorry ma'am. Pad Thai is sweet.""\r
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So, there you go. There Pad Thai always taste like mall food. Except unlike mall food it's $10.00 on Sunday and you never sampled it on a toothpick. If that had been the case though, I definitely would have found another lunch to splurge on.\r
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