Sometimes I joke to my friends and family that I can’t be happy living in a geographic area unless a great Thai restaurant, an excellent taco establishment and a satisfactory cheeseburger purveyor are all in proximity.
Admittedly, I am one of the snobbiest, pickiest eaters you will find in this city. According to my metric, College Park doesn’t meet the “livable” standard. Chipotle does not qualify as “an excellent taco establishment.” Bobby’s Burger Palace is too expensive and not greasy enough. I don’t like how Five Guys puts the ketchup (way too much of it) under the burger, and at the same time, fails to offer milkshakes, which I need to go with my fries.
But when it comes to a Thai place, I have no complaints. I’ve ordered delivery from Aroy Thai at least once a month for almost three academic years.
Panang curry has been a staple in my diet since I was in high school. My friends and I consumed enormous quantities — once, we finished off two containers that resembled small buckets in a single night. When I came to college, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find a local place that offered the dish to my standards, but then Aroy Thai opened.
I wish the delivery times were faster (they’re usually about an hour), but you can’t rush perfection. The curry is perfectly creamy, with just enough coconut flavor to provide a subtle sweetness but not overpower the other flavors. It’s got kick, but it’s not too spicy.
There’s also something to be said for Aroy Thai’s service. I usually ask for an extra container of rice with my order, and I’m rarely charged for it.
I also love Aroy Thai’s staff’s sense of humor. With group orders, Diamondback staff members will use GrubHub’s “other” box to ask Aroy Thai to draw or write messages on the takeout boxes. Some of the illustrations we’ve received include Katniss Everdeen (in response to “draw your favorite celebrity”), an alien playing tennis and a diagram of a high five.
For several months, we kept a Coke can in our newsroom as a tribute to Aroy Thai’s excellent service. They gave it to us free with “You guys are fun!” written on it as part of an order.
I’ll be graduating in May and because I’m moving out of state, I’d like to amend my standards. Wherever I end up, it better have a restaurant like Aroy Thai.
