The Wake

Thai Rocky Spring on 13th and 5th has all the makings of a good “ethnic” restaurant; the exterior is broke-ass, it’s in an area that boasts diverse tastes in food, and its patrons appeared to be of the same general lineage as the menu’s offerings (which is usually a good barometer of authenticity).

With that in mind, I wish I could say that the cuisine and dining experience match the façade.

Thai restaurants can typically be judged by their curry and traditional iced tea (regular, spiced iced tea mixed with coconut milk). Unfortunately, Rocky Spring didn’t have the generally delicious beverage on their menu.

The rest of the relatively small menu was odd for a Thai restaurant. It seemed more like they were going for a general Asian “omnicuisine” by featuring sushi in addition to the other, more authentic Thai dishes.

Their appetizer selection was standard: fried wontons, spring rolls and egg rolls in addition to a few other choices. I ordered the wontons, which cost $3.50. They were fresh and tasty.

The menu only featured two types of curry, which is a little disappointing, not only because I love curry, but because it is a staple dish of most Thai restaurants. I ordered the Red Curry with chicken, which cost $7.00. The best part about the entrée was the size. I’m a big eater, and I wasn’t able to finish it all. On a scale of one to ten, the main course was probably a six. I ordered it “as spicy as you can make it,” which apparently isn’t that spicy. But, it did have a decent amount of heat. The downfall of the dish was an excess of coconut milk – it made the curry a little watery, and a little bland.

On the whole, I would say that if you’re desperate for some Thai, or if you like convenience (it’s located right underneath the Chateau in Dinkytown), give Thai Rocky Spring a shot. But, if you have time to plan and choose, look somewhere else.

Overall: 6/10