The summer before my freshman year was extremely enjoyable. I vacationed in San Francisco, took many a trip to the lake and attended a camp or two. But what possibly was the most valuable piece of information I received that summer wasn’t about cable cars, freshwater fish or insect repellant. That golden nugget of advice came from my cousin-in-law, who also lives here in Ann Arbor. He wasn’t hesitant in spreading the word on this “cool and super delicious” restaurant called No Thai!, of which one location so happened to be close-by to my soon-to-be high school.

Now, as a sophomore, I must shamefully admit that I have spent much of my weekly food money at No Thai! ever since my cousin-in-law kindly shared with me this new gustatory adventure. On the corner of N. Fourth Avenue, the No Thai! location closest to Community is right behind a small outdoor eating area, is neighbors with Smoothie King and is a few doors down from People’s Food Coop.

Upon entering, depending on which time of day, you won’t be shocked about attendance per say, unless it’s a Friday at lunch hour. With a basic, modern layout, the reason to head over to No Thai! isn’t for it’s interior design. The savory, rich aroma wafting throughout the place is reason enough to just walk in their door.

No, the reason you’ll be going to No Thai! is because of its oriental delicacies. Its menu starts out with giving you the choice of 17 main entrees, and letting you personalize your meal with a choice of protein (chicken, beef, tofu, or shrimp for a dollar more) and a choice of spice level (from no spice all the way up to what they call death touch). The price of your meal can range from $7.50 to $9.50.

While the cost is a little on the high side for what a high schooler tends to pay for lunch, the reason behind it —the portion size—makes the extra cash easier to dish out. Not only do you get hot, freshly made Thai food, but the sheer amount of rice, noodles, or stir fry they give you is enough to fill up two people, which is fairly equivalent to a high school student having not eaten since seven in the morning.

My personal favorite dish is the No Thai Fried Rice with chicken and weak spice. I’m sort of a wuss when it comes to heat, and weak spice adds just enough flavor while still being bareable. Very few people (that I know) have tried anything past the weak spice. At $7.50, No Thai Fried Rice is also one of the cheapest things on the menu.

After listing all of these positives about No Thai!, the surprise here is that not many Community students actually eat there very often. The distance from Community to No Thai! is only one more block away than Teriyaki Time, and the quantity is equal to the quality. As I said earlier, the majority of people you’ll find in No Thai! during the Friday lunch rush are local workers, stay-at-home moms with their young children and the occasional Community student.

It’s the type of food that, once you open it inside the school, the scent sticks into the walls and drifts by everyone who passes. As you eat it, people will look at your food longingly, occasionally voicing their jealousy, using phrases like, “Oh my gosh, that looks so good,” and “Wow, where’d you get that?”. If not for the yummy food and short distance, get No Thai! for the instant popularity. Either way, you’ll be relishing every bite.