On an almost winter, typical Michigan fall day, Reena and I crossed town to enjoy one of our absolute favorites at a location new to both of us: Erb Thai.

Upon walking into Erb Thai, the first thing we noticed was how small, yet private, the restaurant was. While being an L-shape and only having enough tables to press up against the outside wall following the shape, I never felt too personal with any other table near me which is something I am highly appreciative of in small restaurants.

After being immediately seated, we were left with menus to decide what we would be ordering. A big kudos to the wait staff with this one; they gave us an almost perfect amount of time to order without being pushy or making us feel rushed which I feel is something many servers on wait staffs struggle with.

When it was time to order, I chose a bowl of Tom Yum soup with chicken and an order of Raa Naa, also with chicken. Reena chose an order of Kow Pad, a dish she is more than well-versed in.

When ordering, our waitress was also very sure to make sure we knew just how much spice we were ordering when we chose mild and medium respectively, which is another thing I think is very important because if there is too much spice for a person on a dish, no one is happy.

Before our main orders came, my order of Tom Yum did, and I was more than pleased. It had an excellent balance of different spices, and I could not have been happier with the broth and vegetables. My only complaint was the texture of the chicken, and while keeping in mind that chicken in such a dish is supposed to be a bit gummy, this tasted like it had been soaking in the pot all day– almost spongy. However, it was easy enough to eat around.

When the main dishes arrived, both Reena and I were more than happy. The meals were much smaller than the cliche of Thai restaurants’ overwhelming portions, but the price made up for it, and it was overall perfect for me considering I never finish at other restaurants anyway. And besides, you can always upgrade to a larger entree for $3.00 anyway.

The flavor in both meals was exceptional. Erb Thai is true to its name. The garlic brown sauce covering my perfectly cooked rice noodles was a favorite for both Reena and me. It was absolutely phenomenal, and I have no other way to describe it.

All in all, I really couldn’t have asked for anything better in a quick after-school meal. The food, price, and staff were nothing less than impressive, and Reena and I will be returning soon.