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I still remember the first time I ate Taste of Thailand. It was 1994, or thereabouts. My younger sister, a candy raver at the time, brought home a carton of the restaurant’s Pad Thai with fried tofu, claiming it was her new favorite and insisting I try it. Me being the “picky eater” that I am, was skeptical at first. After all, it was tofu, and bean sprouts had always irked me on some level. I threw caution to the wind, however, and on a blustery winter night in the mid-nineties, a new obsession was born.

As the years past, my geographic location in the Twin Cities changed a number of times; from Highland Park to Midway to a short stint in Roseville to Northeast Minneapolis to Highland Park again and then back to Northeast Minneapolis. No matter where I went, I always held dear the little hole-in-the-wall Thai joint that forced me out of my bean sprout-hating shell. Return visits, whether they be for take-out or dine-in have never disappointed. And to this day, I almost always order the Pad Thai with Tofu.

Not to say I haven’t tried other delights on Taste of Thailand’s menu, because I most certainly have. We’ll start with the basics: Appetizers. I’ve always been a fan of finger food, small plates, hors d’ouevres, and so on. I have a hard time making decisions when faced with too many delicious options, so when dining out I often opt for a couple of appetizers rather than an entree. I can get down with a Pupu Platter with the best of ‘em. TOT’s app menu is pretty standard for an American Thai restaurant, but they do offer a few weird things that I, picky as I am, won’t touch with a ten-foot pole such as Squid-stuffed Chicken Wings and Bamboo Shoots. I am, however, completely enamored with their cream cheese wontons. Super-thin, delicate wonton skins encase the perfect amount of sweet cream cheese and come with a side of sauce that I imagine has a honey base. Also of note, their fresh Spring Rolls are fat tubular treats jammed with crunchy sprouts, cellophane noodles, lettuce, cilantro, shrimp and pork (veggie option available) and come with a perfect peanut sauce.

Of course I’ve already mentioned the Pad Thai, but I’ll rave about it a bit here too. I can often make three meals out of an order of Taste of Thailand’s Pad Thai, and that’s no lie. The massive portion of flavorful, fried noodles is tossed with crisp bean sprouts, green onion, crushed pepper (1-5 spicy), and whatever meat option you’re into — or the aforementioned fried tofu or mock dock. A mound of crushed peanuts and a lemon wedge accompany, of course. Also a favorite is the Masaman Curry, a saucy concoction of slim cuts of beef, tender potatoes and a fiery yet sweet curry served with a side of white rice — personally, I’d be perfectly delighted to eat the rice and curry sauce on their own. The sweet n’ spicy Papaya Salad is also worth trying, with shredded green papaya, green beans and the perfect balance of heat. Of course, no trip to Taste of Thailand is complete without sharing a dainty dish of their Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango, a cool, delectable finish to your spicy meal.

Ambiance-wise Taste of Thailand is a bit questionable, with a generic-looking storefront, typically slow service and inconsistent decor featuring some modern elements, some traditional, and some aspects that are just plain crappy and old. But what TOT lacks in looks, it makes up for in spirit (and of course, food). The big dining room is quite jovial on the weekends, and chill enough on the weekdays for a cute, unpretentious dinner date. After all, it’s what’s inside the kitchen that counts.

Like many good little Asian restaurants, Taste of Thailand doesn’t have an official website, but you can check out their menu via menuism.com HERE and also read other diner’s reviews via Yelp HERE.

Taste of Thailand, 1669 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, (651-644-3997)

Other locations include 1753 Old Hudson Rd. in St. Paul, as well as a couple Minneapolis locations.