Friday, January 18, 2013.
What Did She Eat? Thai Spice Changes.
I keep telling Mary Ann that there are penalties for automatically regarding all advice from my mouth as inherently worthless. I know a few things about food poisoning, for example. I've had it more than a few times over the years, as one well might if he eats in as wide a variety of places as I do.
But I can't remember ever having contracted "24-hour flu" (a common name for a mild case of food-borne illness) by eating something from my own kitchen. It's possible that I have--one never really knows where this ailment comes from, and we tend to regard our homes as clean and infection-free. But I know the rules, especially the most important one: when in doubt, throw it out.
Mary Ann doesn't believe in that rule. (Probably because she heard me say it). And she is an inveterate collector of leftovers. She parts with them only under duress. She has been nibbling away at a formerly delicious hot-smoked salmon left over from our New Year's Day party. It sat on the table all that day, and in the refrigerator ever since.
Early this morning, she was awakened by a tummy ache. When she got up to deal with it, she felt dizzy--our body's way of getting us to throw up. She passed out, fell, hit her head, and was out cold until Mary Leigh, wondering what the noise was all about, checked on her.
She spent the whole day on the sofa feeling terrible, but not bad enough to see a doctor. She sustained no obvious major injuries, but one never knows. As the day went on, she felt a little better bit by bit, but muscle aches (which food poisoning has in common with flu, hence the nickname above) kept her from moving much.
I moved into caretaker mode, stayed home and did the radio show from there. I was tempted after the show to dig out something for supper, and while I was at it to clear the refrigerator of things like cheesecake from Thanksgiving. Mary Ann told me to stay away from her trove, and to go out to dinner.
I didn't go far--just to the Thai Spice, where I had not eaten in many months. I think there has been a change in management or ownership. I didn't recognize anyone there, and they didn't know me. I like it that way, actually. It's so seldom I can go to a restaurant anonymously anymore.
Started with hot and sour soup. I prefer the clear, spicy, shrimpy tom yum soup, but the entree I was thinking about was too similar. And the hot-and-sour--made in the Chinese style--has always been good. It was just okay today.
The same could be said about the jungle curry entree. This has been one of my favorite dishes at the Thai Spice, a big bowl jammed with a large variety of vegetables soaked in a broth, creating a stew-like texture. This was more like a soup, as Thai cooks would make it for other Thais. It had a much smaller vegetable component than I was accustomed to. Sparse enough that the vegetables were able to float around freely, making then hard to pick up.
I rooted out a picture of the jungle curry I remember having here on a past visit. That's the one on top, above. The version I had today is under it. Notice the higher vegetable content in the first and much greater brothiness in tech second.
I will give them credit for not editing my request for three-star hotness. That's one step below Thai hot, which is beyond my tolerance. But pepperier than I usually get. Several stems of black pepper fruit (peppercorns on the hoof) were in there, spiking the flavors aggressively. Good, and steaming hot. No chance of contracting what MA has from near-boiling food like this.
This is the second North Shore Thai restaurant that has left me underwhelmed in two weeks. What gives? We had eight great ones, and now all but the Thai Garden seem to have lost their sharp edges. And I haven't been there lately.
When I returned, MA was watching television and saying she felt better, but not perfect. She would not have this resolved until she finally went to the doctor, next Tuesday.
Thai Spice. Covington: 1531 US 190. 985-809-6483.
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