Descending into the cool depths of Park Plaza just north of the Washington Monument in Mt. Vernon, My Thai's large sign loomed bright and bold, and I hoped that the food would be too.
Walking in, my two friends and I were cheerfully greeted, seated and given water to sip on while we decided what to order.
The restaurant's traditional Asian decorations, including statues of Buddhas and Japanese paintings, were supplemented with pink heart balloons and a long ribbon reading "Happy Valentine's Day" affixed to the top edge of the walls.
A neon-blue wall of bubbles separated the sushi bar, where we were sitting, from the actual bar, effectively dividing the restaurant into two parts.
The menu at My Thai is filled with delectable goods. One side is devoted to sushi and wines from the West coast and the other side to appetizers, entrées and desserts.
I decided to try Thai food rather than sushi. There are appetizers, soups and salads for those who want a proper start to a fancy meal. Curry, rice, noodles and vegetarian foods are all options for filling up the tummy.
Non-rice and non-noodle dishes are served with Jasmine rice, and any dish that has chicken or pork can be substituted with beef for $1 extra. Many dishes also offer a shrimp or seafood option instead of "land meat," for around $3 extra. My Thai has a variety of seafood offerings, including mussels, squid, shrimp and scallops.
Furthermore, you can specify how hot you want your spicy dishes. Options range from the rather mild "somewhat spicy" and "I feel the heat" to the more intense "dial 911 - I'm on fire" and "immune to heat - crank it up!"
Nearly all of the entrées fall between $10 and $17, with most in the $11 to $14 range. There are My Thai's mai thais, as well as martinis, for $7 a glass. If you go during lunch hours, entrées are about $2 cheaper across the board.
I ordered Talay Noodles, a dish containing stir-fried seafood with wide rice noodles in a spicy, roasted chili sauce. My two companions ordered fried rice, which included a mix of jasmine rice, egg, onions, scallions and tomatoes, with chicken, pork or beef.
After about 16 minutes, our meals came out on white, square dishes and we could immediately smell the various aromas. The fried rice was in the shape of an ancient Mayan pyramid with flat sides. The pyramid was garnished with jagged-edged cucumbers on the side.
At first glance, my dish appeared to be missing its noodles. However, they were merely obscured by the overwhelming amount of additional ingredients. Four large mussels still in their shells, large shrimp and scallops filled my eyes. I hadn't seen this much seafood on one plate in a long time.
The dish also had strips of red and green bell peppers and quartered tomatoes. The entire dish was coated in a dark red sauce that gave off a pungent aroma. Digging down, I discovered the noodles, and, at nearly an inch wide, the menu was not kidding about them being wide rice noodles. The style of cooking and the ingredients used were spot-on with what I've come to expect of Thai cuisine: heat, flavor and freshness.
The crunchiness of the squid came together with the crisp bell peppers and contrasted with the soft tomatoes and noodles. The scallops were very tender yet still had a nice bite to them.
Freshness is an important factor in Thai cuisine, especially in seafood flavor. The baby squid pieces were quite soft, while the shrimp was almost sweet, a common indicator of freshness in cooked seafood, including crabmeat and lobster.
My dish was rather hot, as I opted for the "I feel the heat" version. If your dish is not hot enough, you can always bump it up with the four different types of hot sauces served with your food. Flavor is important in Thai cuisine, but if spices are not used in moderation, the effect can be overwhelming.
Although I had no room for dessert, a peek at the menu revealed temptations like mango and sticky rice, crispy banana with vanilla ice cream and Thai donuts, to name a few. Needless to say, My Thai's idea of dessert is certainly culturally grounded, and they are unafraid to experiment with unexpected combinations of flavors.
My Thai has a lot going for it. Its wide selection of colorful and flavorful food, reasonable prices and convenient location make it an attractive dining locale for the average Hopkins student.
