Spicy drunken noodles, large servings found at this Thai-Japanese eatery in Colorado Springs | Dining review

By By ROBIN INTEMANN features@gazettedev.gazette.com November 15, 2024 | updated 2 years ago

Clockwise from top left: Garlic pepper with pork and a scoop of rice; yakitori with a side of onion rings, rice and coleslaw; drunken noodles with chicken; warm and delicious house soup with just a little crunch on top. (photos by Cody Van Hooser, the gazette)

Thai Lily has a chart with five cartoon faces expressing varying degrees of red indicating heat/spice levels to help diners determine which level to choose.

On a first visit, when heat and spice are main components of certain cuisines, there’s the quandary about whether to opt for mild, medium or hot because mild at some places has more kick than expected while some mediums are simply bland. Extra hot is never a consideration for me; I prefer a balance of flavors. Still skeptical, but based on the chart, I opted for mild, which was different in the two entrees we sampled.

The family-run business serves Thai and Japanese dishes, each reflected with its own side of the menu. The Japanese listings are mostly variations on yakitori, depending on number of skewers and add-ons.

The Thai offerings include curries, soups, noodles, house specialties and more. Our server said pad Thai ($10), obviously, was the most popular item along with drunken noodles ($10.50). She noted that garlic pepper ($11) was also a favorite.

Several standard appetizers are available, including egg rolls, fried shrimp balls and fried dumplings, among others. Since yakitori had such prominence on one side of the menu, we started with two skewers ($2.50 each).

They arrived at our table with an extra-large bowl of Jasmine rice. The skewered grilled chicken pieces sat in a puddle of teriyaki sauce. The saltiness enhanced the tender meat. It was a savory and different start to the varied seasonings to come.

When ordering a yakitori meal, two scoops of rice, a small salad and onion rings are included.

The massive amount of rice was simply a prelude to the large servings that came soon after the yakitori. Drunken noodles are flat, made of rice, and slick with tangy soy and oyster sauces. Green onions, bean sprouts, scrambled egg bits and pieces of Thai basil were part of the mix. A variety of proteins are available. I selected chicken; other choices were pork, beef, tofu, shrimp, veggies and seafood.

Initially, the spiciness was barely detectable. The more I ate, the more evident it became. My palate was never overwhelmed; instead the level simply enriched the dish.

Garlic pepper with pork featured slightly more spice. The entree certainly earned its name thanks to the sharp, pungent garlic. Suddenly, we were grateful that there was so much rice because it provided balance.

A steady stream of diners and carryout orders kept the friendly and efficient staff busy but not harried. The decor features several large portraits of what appeared to be Thai royalty and numerous small Asian items adorned the shelves. There was never an issue with the place being loud; in fact, it was occasionally possible to hear sizzles from the kitchen.

I might be willing to make a jump to another spice level, but know I’ll never be up for a palate challenge, Thai Lily’s fifth spice level: “Thai Lily Hot.” The menu indicates there are “no remakes” if this is ordered. Based on the full red face and bulging eyes on the chart, it was clear this is a category all its own.