True Thai will be closed on Memorial Day, May 27, in honor of those who gave their lives in service to others. We will be open Saturday and Sunday, and will re-open at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 28.
Enjoy your time with friends and family, and have a safe weekend.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Raised on Rainwater
NOTE: I have been holding this post since late February. I wanted to post this on a rainy day, but instead we kept getting snow! I think spring is finally here and now is the time to share this post with you.
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A friend told me that Thailand is promoting Rainwater Jar Culture. This is an old tradition in Thailand that had started to fade away, then was revived about the time I came to the United States. Rainwater is pure water, and that's a good thing since much of the water in Thailand is not safe to drink.
My friend was surprised to learn that I grew up drinking nothing but rainwater. Chanthaburi is by the ocean, and by the time river water reached us it wasn't fit to drink so every family had at least a dozen rainwater jars for collecting rainwater. You could tell how many kids were in a family by how many rainwater jars they had. The Prasomphol house had two dozen jars like these.
Rainwater is good for you but if you drink rainwater it is important to use fluoride toothpaste because there is no fluoride in rainwater. Also no arsenic, animal waste or other contaminants.
Rainwater jars are a very old tradition in Southeast Asia, but I do not think they would work so well here in Minnesota because they work best where there's lots of rain.
Update: My apologies. I thought I had waited long enough but I was wrong. Parts of Minnesota south of the Twin Cities got up to eight inches of snow yesterday. I do not think rainwater barrels would work very well for Minnesotans.
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A friend told me that Thailand is promoting Rainwater Jar Culture. This is an old tradition in Thailand that had started to fade away, then was revived about the time I came to the United States. Rainwater is pure water, and that's a good thing since much of the water in Thailand is not safe to drink.
My friend was surprised to learn that I grew up drinking nothing but rainwater. Chanthaburi is by the ocean, and by the time river water reached us it wasn't fit to drink so every family had at least a dozen rainwater jars for collecting rainwater. You could tell how many kids were in a family by how many rainwater jars they had. The Prasomphol house had two dozen jars like these.
Rainwater is good for you but if you drink rainwater it is important to use fluoride toothpaste because there is no fluoride in rainwater. Also no arsenic, animal waste or other contaminants.
Rainwater jars are a very old tradition in Southeast Asia, but I do not think they would work so well here in Minnesota because they work best where there's lots of rain.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Deliveries are back!
I took time off from the restaurant in February and March and only recently came back. I was surprised to find out they had stopped making deliveries while I was gone!
If you live or work within five miles of True Thai and order $25 worth of food, we will deliver it to you. Just call 612 375-9942 to place your order.
And thank you to everyone who's been coming in recently. Seeing a crowded restaurant was the best welcome back gift I could have ever hoped for.
If you live or work within five miles of True Thai and order $25 worth of food, we will deliver it to you. Just call 612 375-9942 to place your order.
And thank you to everyone who's been coming in recently. Seeing a crowded restaurant was the best welcome back gift I could have ever hoped for.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Thank you!
Another year, another City Pages' Readers' Choice award for Best Thai Restaurant in the Twin Cities. Thank you to all our loyal customers for voting for us again.
True Thai doesn't spend money on advertising or marketing, so I keep thinking each award will be our last since so much of the "Best of" phenomena is tied in with how much you advertise and where. That does not seem to be the case in Minnesota. We have won so many awards from publications we don't advertise in, and so much of that is driven by you, our customers.
Thank you for choosing True Thai, again and again.
True Thai doesn't spend money on advertising or marketing, so I keep thinking each award will be our last since so much of the "Best of" phenomena is tied in with how much you advertise and where. That does not seem to be the case in Minnesota. We have won so many awards from publications we don't advertise in, and so much of that is driven by you, our customers.
Thank you for choosing True Thai, again and again.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Student Unrest?
I made a rare trip to south Minneapolis yesterday and when I drove by Washburn High School, I doublechecked my watch. It was after 1 p.m., but hundreds of students were walking around, many leaving the campus.
Today, in the Star Tribune, I read that the students were protesting the school district's investigation of their athletic director. I think those students must really like their athletic director.
When I was young, there was a very big student protest against the government of Thailand. All my classmates and I cut classes and took a six-hour bus ride to Bangkok for a big rally at a stadium. We had barely arrived at the stadium when the Army came in and announced that they were giving us five minutes to disperse or they'd release thousands of cobras into the stadium. Five minutes later we were all back on the bus heading back to Chanthaburi.
The Army officer who made up the cobra threat was promoted, the government was preserved and I moved to the United States as fast as I could. I do not know who will win this fight between Washburn students and the school district, but I do know that years from now each of those students will remember this walk out long after the school district has forgotten all about it.
I just wish I'd known what was going on. Probably not, but I like to think I might have parked my car and marched with the students for a while. At least until the cobras showed up.
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Update!
Today, in the Star Tribune, I read that the students were protesting the school district's investigation of their athletic director. I think those students must really like their athletic director.
When I was young, there was a very big student protest against the government of Thailand. All my classmates and I cut classes and took a six-hour bus ride to Bangkok for a big rally at a stadium. We had barely arrived at the stadium when the Army came in and announced that they were giving us five minutes to disperse or they'd release thousands of cobras into the stadium. Five minutes later we were all back on the bus heading back to Chanthaburi.
The Army officer who made up the cobra threat was promoted, the government was preserved and I moved to the United States as fast as I could. I do not know who will win this fight between Washburn students and the school district, but I do know that years from now each of those students will remember this walk out long after the school district has forgotten all about it.
I just wish I'd known what was going on. Probably not, but I like to think I might have parked my car and marched with the students for a while. At least until the cobras showed up.
--
Update!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Closed Easter
True Thai Restaurant will be closed Easter Sunday, March 31. We will resume regular hours Monday, April 1.
Have a happy Easter!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Even fake Thai condiments are better than ketchup!
I think Americans are most fascinated by foreign food when it is foreign food that was created by Americans. When I came to the USA, your average American thought Chow Mein was the most popular dish served in China. Fans of this blog know better, but did you know that Wikipedia's article on Chow Mein lists it as a regional dish popular (in this order) in American, Canadian, South Asian, Caribbean and Nepalese cuisine. Please note that China is not on that list.
Sriracha sauce is another good example. Yes, there is a Sriracha, Thailand. No, they don't make hot sauce in plastic bottles with a rooster on the front and a green cap on top. The Huy Fong Foods factory that makes Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is just outside of Los Angeles. California, not Thailand or India.
When True Thai opened, only our Indian customers asked for Sriracha sauce, but we have lots of South Asian customers so we kept it on hand. I think of it as Tabasco sauce for Asians, but now even Tabasco is working on a Sriracha sauce! Over the years, we have noticed more and more American customers asking for it. Now there is a video of 27 ways to cook with Sriracha.
The truth is, Americans are crazy for Sriracha sauce. College students put it on potato chips which, in my opinion, would make the chips taste better but really you're better off not going there. Order some Palace Style Wontons instead: "fried wontons hand tossed in a sassy, sweet and tangy sauce, then drizzled with fiery Sriracha sauce." That's item number A5 on True Thai's appetizer menu.
So feel free to ask your server for Sriracha sauce, we'll be glad to bring you out a bottle — you betcha!
P.S. I do not think I could walk in these Sriracha Stilettos from HOT Couture, but I would still love to have a pair.
Sriracha sauce is another good example. Yes, there is a Sriracha, Thailand. No, they don't make hot sauce in plastic bottles with a rooster on the front and a green cap on top. The Huy Fong Foods factory that makes Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is just outside of Los Angeles. California, not Thailand or India.
When True Thai opened, only our Indian customers asked for Sriracha sauce, but we have lots of South Asian customers so we kept it on hand. I think of it as Tabasco sauce for Asians, but now even Tabasco is working on a Sriracha sauce! Over the years, we have noticed more and more American customers asking for it. Now there is a video of 27 ways to cook with Sriracha.
The truth is, Americans are crazy for Sriracha sauce. College students put it on potato chips which, in my opinion, would make the chips taste better but really you're better off not going there. Order some Palace Style Wontons instead: "fried wontons hand tossed in a sassy, sweet and tangy sauce, then drizzled with fiery Sriracha sauce." That's item number A5 on True Thai's appetizer menu.
So feel free to ask your server for Sriracha sauce, we'll be glad to bring you out a bottle — you betcha!
P.S. I do not think I could walk in these Sriracha Stilettos from HOT Couture, but I would still love to have a pair.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Kiss Kiss
Any hour now several Thai couples will set the world's record for the longest kiss. I think maybe the Guardian is being a little sarcastic in this video report, but I think all of the contestants are very sweet.
You can be in love without setting a record for longest kiss, but you cannot stay in love if you don't take your sweetheart somewhere nice on Valentine's Day. True Thai is there for you and your loved one! Call 612 375-9942 for a reservation now.
UPDATE! The new kissing record is 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds!
You can be in love without setting a record for longest kiss, but you cannot stay in love if you don't take your sweetheart somewhere nice on Valentine's Day. True Thai is there for you and your loved one! Call 612 375-9942 for a reservation now.
UPDATE! The new kissing record is 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Top Ten
True Thai just made another Top Ten list, but not one you'll read about. We just signed up with Living Social to take online takeout and delivery orders. We did not publicize this other than to put a small link on the True Thai Restaurant front page but already we are getting dozens of orders a day through this system and, according to Living Social, that puts us in the Top Ten for Twin Cities restaurant orders on their website.
So in addition to making deliveries, True Thai now takes online orders. Or, if you like, you can come in, sit down and we'll serve you food and beverages brought directly to your table.
So in addition to making deliveries, True Thai now takes online orders. Or, if you like, you can come in, sit down and we'll serve you food and beverages brought directly to your table.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Open New Year's Eve!
True Thai Restaurant is open tonight, New Year's Eve, but will be closed tomorrow, New Year's Day. We will be open again at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 2, 2013.
Have a safe and fun New Year's!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Ped's 40th birthday
Ped's parents are in Laos this Christmas visiting the village of Ped's birth, so we did not have a gathering at True Thai this year.
Christmas day would have been Ped's 40th birthday, and I thought about him a lot. I know Ped's mother was thinking of him, and how she gave birth to him as bombs were being dropped on their village, and how she carried him across the Mekong River when he was only a few days old.
People still stop every night to look at Ped's shrine and to read about him. I still celebrate his life and mourn his passing.
Christmas day would have been Ped's 40th birthday, and I thought about him a lot. I know Ped's mother was thinking of him, and how she gave birth to him as bombs were being dropped on their village, and how she carried him across the Mekong River when he was only a few days old.
People still stop every night to look at Ped's shrine and to read about him. I still celebrate his life and mourn his passing.
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