Discussion of Robin Garr's Simply Thai review

[Robin Garr]

Get your Scoville on at Simply Thai
LEO's Eats with Robin Garr



First your tongue and your lips burn. Then your eyes water. Your nose runs, and then you break out in a sweat. And you are loving it. Why do we humans enjoy tormenting ourselves with hot peppers? Because it hurts so good!

One-hundred years ago this year, the scientist Wilbur Scoville developed a method that put a number on the levels of spicy heat. The scale that now bears his name ranges from zero (for green bell peppers or pimentos, which have no detectable heat) to wacky peppers like the Bhut Jolokia ("ghost" pepper), which come in at more than 1 million Scoville units.

Experience builds endurance, so chile-heads who enjoy popping habaneros like potato chips may want to move up to ghost peppers, and then on to police pepper spray, which may hit 5 million Scoville units and is not legally available to civilians.

For good basic training on the Scoville scale, I recommend Louisville's Simply Thai. Thai cuisine is one of my favorites, because its tropical flavors light up a meal, and fiery spice is its inspiration. Those who fear heat need not be afraid.

"We can adjust the spice to your desired level," Simply Thai's menu pledges, adding that it normally operates on a zero-to-five-point scale, but that customers are welcome to invent their own number, as high as you wish, perhaps up to the point where the infamous University of California cop John Pike will come in and personally give you a shot of pepper spray.

Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/get-y ... imply-thai

And in LEO Weekly:
http://leoweekly.com/dining/get-your-sc ... imply-thai

Simply Thai
323 Wallace Ave.
899-9670
simplythaiky.com
Rating: 90

Great food!
For those who aren't familiar there is also an inspiring story behind Simply Thai:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-5 ... eoMetaInfo

Deb

So when does the Middletown location get reveiwed? Or is it too far outside the Watterson?

[Robin Garr]

So when does the Middletown location get reveiwed? Or is it too far outside the Watterson?

Nah, not too far at all. After all, I've reviewed Havana Rumba II, Mazzoni's (when it was alive), Pig City BBQ (was that its name?), Alley Cat, Peking City Bistro, Jasmine, etc ...

However, when a restaurant has two (or more) locations that I check out and judge fairly similar, I may place a much lower priority on reviewing both. So many eateries, so little time ...

Tough job, Robin....lol.

My daughter has worked for Simply Thai and still does on college breaks. Not only is their food consistently excellent, but you couldn't pick a nicer group of people to work for. They have been so kind to my daughter and her friends who have worked there. They treat their employees like family. Just had to put that out there because I've worked in restaurants where you could hear the screaming from the kitchen.

So when does the Middletown location get reveiwed? Or is it too far outside the Watterson?

Nah, not too far at all. After all, I've reviewed Havana Rumba II, Mazzoni's (when it was alive), Pig City BBQ (was that its name?), Alley Cat, Peking City Bistro, Jasmine, etc ...

However, when a restaurant has two (or more) locations that I check out and judge fairly similar, I may place a much lower priority on reviewing both. So many eateries, so little time ...

Yes, it was Pig City.

And I looked for an HR2 review on here, but only found a link to an old HR1 review.

I remember the Mazzoni's review, I ate at the Middletown location once before it died. ST2 is the first thing to do well in that spot. At least 3 other restuarants died in that spot in the 5 years Ive lived near it.

[Robin Garr]

And I looked for an HR2 review on here, but only found a link to an old HR1 review.

Hmm ... that's funny, I can't find it either. I know for sure that we ate there, and I can pin it down to December 2011-March 2012, when I was in a placement at St. Luke's church in Anchorage for three months and checked out a lot of stuff in the neighborhood while I was out that way several times a week. My recollection is that I thought HR2 was a lot like HR1, same menu, similar decor, similar style and service. Maybe I decided not to do it. As you note, though, it's probably time to wander by one of the HRs again.

Holy smokes this sound amazing! Justin was telling me about it recently. I will be trying it soon. Bring it - level 4 baby! Thanks Robin for mentioning the brewski's. Fall City will do just fine. Cheers!

Google to the rescue. http://leoweekly.com/dining/cuba-and-ca ... vana-rumba

( No, you hadn't lost your mind, Robin. )

[Robin Garr]

Google to the rescue. http://leoweekly.com/dining/cuba-and-ca ... vana-rumba

( No, you hadn't lost your mind, Robin. )

Very strange! I wonder why that didn't make it on to HotBytes.Feb. 8 ... I was indeed hyper-busy at St. Luke's during that period, so I'm blaming Mary.

[Robin Garr]

Okay, I'm not sure how that happened, but I've swiftly added last February's Havana Rumba II review to the archive:

http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/cuba- ... na-rumba-2

Question about the Simply Thai space in Middletown.

After Mazzoni's, Zapata's went in. After they closed, was that the space River Bend went into, or were they elsewhere in that shopping center? I know Simply Thai 2 is in the former Mazzoni's/Zapata's space, but I cant remember if River Bend was in the same spot, as I never went to it.

As Im the person who lives 2 blocks away, you would think I wouldnt have to ask.

I will say I hope Im helping ST stay there, as Ive been to them way more than I went to Mazzoni's, Zapata's and River Bend combined.

I suggest level 5 if you like spicy. Its not THAT hot. However they will go beyond level 5 if you ask...level 10, level 100, whatever. I have yet to venture into that range.

I suggest level 5 if you like spicy. Its not THAT hot. However they will go beyond level 5 if you ask...level 10, level 100, whatever. I have yet to venture into that range.

A friend of mine tried jumping to 7, and came back to 5 the next time.

I get 4 -- I like spicy but am not an extreme spice fan. If someone really likes it spicy, start at 5 and work from there.

Had the very tasty Pad Thai with veg today at heat level 4. It was spicy enough to complement the flavors without over powering them. Having said that, when I was done, I still had most of my beer left and didn't need to mop my forehead so I might just up it a notch next time. Cheers!