By Collette Bryan

Siri Thai Review – Dreamy Pad Thai

When most people hear the words ‘Athens, Georgia’ they think football, the University of Georgia, or partying perhaps – I think of the food. The downtown Athens area is famous for its many bars, singular restaurants, and one-of-a-kind boutiques. People come to Athens, and they go downtown. Many are quick to forget that some of the classic city’s greatest eateries are a little off the beaten path. One of these restaurants is a hidden gem tucked away on the east side of the city: Siri Thai.

Of all the words that could possibly describe the interior of Siri Thai (trust me, there are many) the one that comes to the front of my mind is peaceful. The walls are lined from ceiling to floor with windows. Sunlight streams in and the inside of the restaurant glows with an ambiance of tranquility. At night, hanging light fixtures dangle from the ceiling and emit just enough light to set the perfect mood for a three-course meal with someone special or a group of good friends.

The first thing on the menu was, of course, drinks! When I indulge by going out to eat I usually also indulge in a glass (or two) of pinot noir, but not here. They have a delicious selection of bubble teas: mango, strawberry, Thai tea, green tea, and taro. I went with the taro bubble tea and I was not disappointed. Normally the tea part of bubble tea is liquid, but here it’s a freezy frothy smoothie delight. There were just enough tapioca pearls on the bottom so I got a few with every sip. Just how I like it. My friend got their Thai tea, and not the bubble tea version. Luckily he shared a few sips (gulps) with me and it had a nice strong tea flavor, wasn’t too sweet, and was very smooth thanks to the cream that was on top.

For appetizers we ordered Pho-Pia Tod, or Thai spring rolls. They were perfectly sized little rolls made of crispy rice paper full of ground chicken, vermicelli, and carrots served with a honey & sour sauce. It was the perfect combo of sweet and savory thanks to the chicken and honey & sour sauce, and the perfect texture thanks to the crispy rice paper and vermicelli. We also got the Thai wraps, which were rolled in fresh rice paper full of shredded bean curd, lettuce, carrots, and fresh mint leaves with a tangy tamarind sauce and ground peanuts. It was super fresh and had a great crunch.

The entrée that I chose was the Pad Thai: rice noodles stir-fried with egg, bean curd, bean sprouts, chicken (or your choice of pork, beef, veggies, tofu, or shrimp) and topped with ground peanuts with an amazingly flavorful sauce that will keep me coming back for years to come. My friend ordered the Lard-Na: pan fried rice noodles topped with vegetables and chicken with a special house gravy. The best way I can describe this dish is Thai comfort food. Between the gravy and the noodles, my friend was lost in a cloud of happy satisfaction. We both ordered our dishes with medium spiciness, and thank goodness we did! The kick added a delicious zestiness to the dishes, but they are serious about their heat. Much more of it and I would have been in serious trouble.

Lastly, my friend and I split two desserts. We ordered the fresh coconut ice cream and the taro custard. The ice cream was made in house and it was so rich and creamy that I would have ordered a second dish of it if we hadn’t gotten a second dessert. The taro custard is sweet taro covered in velvet smooth coconut milk.  It satisfied our sweet tooth with its unique flavor and subtle sweetness. After my friend had finished, I was all but licking the two dessert dishes clean.

I love Thai food and I am always looking for the ‘best Thai place in town’ and trust me, this is it. It is at the top of my very long list of Thai restaurants, and hopefully I’ll be back many many times. Siri Thai is located at 1040 Gaines School Rd, Athens, GA 30605.