| rev:text
| - I discovered Spice Island shortly after they'd opened in the 90's, and was blow away then. A really unique and varied menu, featuring dishes from a variety of Asian Islands, with unbelievable reasonable prices, incredibly flavor, kind service, and a very unpretentious comfortable atmosphere.
I left duh-burgh in '99 and didn't return until 2007, and when I returned I was thrilled to see that there was one business of true quality and reasonability that had not changed one iota. They didn't jack up the prices, they didn't cut down the portions, heck, even the decor pretty much stayed the same. The ONLY negative in the whole endeavor is that the eye candy level dropped substantially when the Burmese partner left the business (he was breathtaking, and an incredibly sweet guy).
I have tried many dishes here through the years, and I have yet to put a bite of bad food in my mouth. Though I must admit, I have arrived at a 'usual' when I go here, simply because after being in many different cities, and a few other countries, one dish that I have NEVER seen anywhere else, even with a different name, is the Burmese Lat Toke. It is a huge cold salad, primarily of noodles, with toasted garlic, cilantro, fried tofu, some carrot and Asian cabbage shavings, and a tamarind-fish sauce that has just a slight spicy bite to it (available without the fish and pepper bite for the weaker diners.) It is the lightest and most uniquely flavorful 'salad' I have ever eaten, and I've never seen it anywhere else. So that's become my Spice Island Staple. I don't get out much, but if I was able to eat here more regularly, I would try many more things on the menu. I have tried the curries, and the rices, and the pad Thai, and have never been disappointed.
The appetizers are just that...appetizers. They're small, but they are delicious. The Samosa are one of my faves, as well as the fritters. The last time I ate here, I gave something new a try, and had the deep fried hard boiled eggs with a tomato fish sauce...and they were delish!
They always have daily specials, and their teas of the day are well worth eschewing the usual Diet Coke for me. They're flavorful, unique, and most importantly, real.
They seem to have a pretty strong staff turn-over, but I guess this to be expected in college land, as I've rarely seen the same waitstaff there more than twice, and that's only if I've managed to eat there twice in a six month period.
Honestly, I don't think this place gets raved about nearly enough in the local foodie media. I guess because they aren't all flashy and bistroid, the media already gave them their fifteen minutes ten years ago. BUT, Spice Island has maintained their integrity and consistency in those last ten plus years.
The REAL highlight of this little cozy hole-in-the-wall is that it's not going to wipe out your bank account, AND it's going to fill your stomach...with quality over garbage.
Where else in duh-burgh are you going to treat two friends to appetizers, an entree each that is plentiful, with real brewed teas, and even maybe a dessert - for under $40 - that doesn't involve a name starting with 'Mc', or a bunch of over oversized black and gold jerseys belching at the grease trough?
The clientele is generally leaning a bit more toward the intellectual end of the scale, which makes for a very comfortable evening of food and friends.
I've been a fan for more than ten years Spice Island! And I can't give you enough Kudos for continuously doing exactly what you're doing.
Keep that Lat Toke as yummy, and hell...Cary Grant on the bathroom door? Who could ask for anything more!!??
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)