Travel Muse Magazine

My roommates ordered No Thai! for the entire house once, then did it again, and again, and again. And every single time, without fail, I was left with a burning mouth. That didn’t mean it wasn’t good. Far from it, in fact. But after the fifth time we’d sat around our dining room table chowing down, I realized No Thai! had become a household staple.

The only problem was that, in the middle of conversations, I’d have to excuse myself and book it to the sink to get more water because the food was just that spicy. But why? I only ever ordered the medium spice level, so why was it so hot?

Thai cuisine, for all its mouth-burning capabilities, does not simply use spice to make food spicier. Instead, it is used to enhance and balance the sour, sweet, salty, and bitter flavors commonly found in Thai dishes. According to Taste of Thailand, meat was traditionally used sparingly, in part because of the country’s Buddhist beliefs, but spice was still used in the same way. Cooking techniques such as frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying became more common, which gradually increased meat consumption over time, the website says. But the spices have held as an indispensable ingredient in nearly every Thai dish. That’s what gives Thai food its aromatic appeal, helping to balance dishes that would otherwise be too rich or too bland.

After I put in the time to research Thai food’s spice profile, I decided I needed to head to one of No Thai’s four Ann Arbor locations. (BTW, they also have a fifth location in Brighton and until last year also had a sixth location in East Lansing.)

So on a relatively pleasant afternoon, I walked through the doors of their South University location, ordered at the counter, was assigned a number, and then took a seat. This is a fast-casual sort of eatery. The ceiling was tall enough that the music playing through the speakers echoed throughout the restaurant, blending with the idle chatter of the college students around me. The whole atmosphere reminded me of a fast-food restaurant.

In a college town like Ann Arbor, it can be hard to find a restaurant where students do anything other than stare at their laptops, but No Thai! was an exception. Most customers passing through when I was here either came for a meal or arrived with a friend to share one.

My order was ready and sizzling in front of me in less than five minutes. The sweet and spicy chicken—medium spice level, of course—was piled up on one side of the plate, the rice balled up on the other.

As I dug in, I silently thanked the hundreds of years of history and people who made this meal possible. I was immediately hit with a tangy flavor from the chicken, followed by a spicy aftertaste that lingered on my tongue. I hastily scooped up some rice, trying to counter the almost overpowering flavor of the chicken. The rice itself was bland, but it worked to balance and enhance the chicken’s flavor when I combined the two. The underlying sweetness of the crispy chicken became more apparent when paired with the soft rice. Occasionally, small bits of slightly peppery green onion added bursts of bitterness that helped tie the entire dish together. 

No Thai! was founded in February 2005 by University of Michigan alumnus Victor Kim along with his friends Noerung “No” Hang (the eatery’s namesake), Jeffrey Cho, and Brian Kim, all of whom attended Michigan State University together. (Victor, Brian and Jeffrey had been friends since middle school and all grew up in southeast Michigan.) In December 2019, after Victor’s passing, they brought in Steve Yang as a partner, who began managing No Thai!’s Brighton location.

I asked co-founder Jeffrey Cho about why their restaurant has had such staying power. He attributed No Thai!’s popularity, in part, to its ability to let customers choose their spice level for any menu item. Cho explained that this customization has helped No Thai! stand out among other eateries. A little feature I’m thankful for.

As I ate, I (of course) had to get up multiple times to get water, just like I do when I eat at home with my roommates, but this time was different. I had a newfound appreciation for the spiciness. What I had once seen as a hindrance, I now recognized as indispensable ingredients that have come together through time to create a unique culinary experience, one that, in my mind, can only be found in Thai cuisine.

I went home that night full and already thinking about the next time I’d have No Thai! with my roommates.