Tongue Thai-ed: An Unofficial Thai Food Tour Around BU’s Campus
After leaving Chicago to come to BU last year, I knew there would be a big transition period. But, what I didn’t realize was that the one thing I missed most– after my dog, of course– was all of the great food from home. While there may not be deep dish pizza in Boston, this past semester, I decided to explore another one of my favorite cuisines: Thai food!
From campus favorites, like NudPob, to places I only heard about after moving to South Campus, I knew I had to try it all. And, to keep it consistent, I made sure to order Pad See Ew with tofuat each restaurant. So now, I present to you the unofficial thai food tour around our campus. Let’s dig in!
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NudPob
Even before my Freshman year, I’d heard all about Terriers’ favorite Thai food spot on campus! I was super excited to give it a try and see what the hype was all about. While I never got to go inside the store and instead chose a COVID-19-friendly contactless delivery, NudPob’s bright banners are a Comm. Ave. staple. But when I finally grabbed my chopsticks and tried my dish, I was sadly a little disappointed. My noodles were all super greasy, and while that taste may be for some people, it just wasn’t for me. My scallion pancakes were better– those are something I typically expect to be a bit more greasy– but my meal felt really heavy. One perk, however, is that NudPob’s portion sizes are huge! While NudPob is definitely the place to go to after a long night of studying, it just wasn’t exactly the taste of home I had hoped for.
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Thai Dish
A lesser-known Thai restaurant near the New Balance Field, I only learned about Thai Dish because of their free Thai Tea promotion at the start of the semester. The inside of the restaurant is super cute and trendy, and they clearly marked social distancing protocols inside. Their Thai tea was super light and refreshing, especially on a hot day, and their Pad See Ew complemented it nicely. Like NudPob, Thai Dish’s noodles were more on the greasy side, but their super soft and pillowy baked tofu helped make the dish less heavy. In the future, I would love to also try some of their many unique dishes which their social media helps to make look so good. If I’m ever looking for a quick meal and a fun place to carry out from, Thai Dish would fit that description perfectly!
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Giggling Rice
Until I moved onto Beacon St. this past year, I hadn’t heard about– or even seen– Giggling Rice! Just a few doors down from my favorite cafe and bakery, Tatte, is Giggling Rice, and it really is a hidden gem. Their staff was friendly and made sure to get my order ready super quickly, and while the inside of the restaurant may not have been as aesthetically pleasing as Thai Dish, their noodles really told another story. Giggling Rice had really captured my favorite Thai food tastes from home; the Pad See Ew was perfectly seasoned and there was even enough for me to enjoy it as leftovers the following day. I also really loved knowing that I could support a business that isn’t as central to campus, especially during these hard times. While I may be Learning from Anywhere for the first few weeks of classes, I can’t wait to get back to Boston and order from my new favorite Thai restaurant again!
Exploring food around Boston has been such a great way to meet new people and check out new parts of the city. Coming to college is a huge transition for everyone, but there are always ways to help you feel at home, wherever your adventures may take you! Let me know if I missed any of your favorites or what restaurants I should check out next time. 🙂
