Yes, there is a Thai Restaurant on the Hill and appeThaizing Restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in the Syracuse University area. This unassuming, yet tastefully decorated eatery is nestled down a short alleyway off Crouse Avenue, just up from Marshall Street. Slowly, descending two flights of stairs, we entered into an out-of-the-ordinary world, surrounded in deep vibrant colors of avocado, maize, and subterranean terracotta. Instantly captivated by the elusive atmosphere, we were soothed by quiet jazz music being played somewhere off in the distance. Approaching the open streamlined counter where Thai dishes are prepared in front of you, Rita Chanthasensak, the front manager of this intriguing establishment, warmly greeted us. We discovered later that evening that Rita is "always at the restaurant" and that she takes a great interest in her patrons. While chatting with her, she told us the names of customers seated at other dining tables. I was impressed; Rita is a people-person and she sure is in the right business. More than that, she KNOWS Thai food. I can say with absolute certainty that if you have never eaten Thai food before and have no understating of this cuisine, go see Rita and you will be in good hands. She is definitely committed to providing good service and her easy going style and unobtrusive interest suggest a deep fondness for what she does. Chef Kris Ratanaphan, co-owner and head chef is originally from Thailand and has been cooking professionally for more than 13 years. He moved to Syracuse in 1991 and has worked locally at Lemon Grass, Amore, Erawan Thai Restaurant, and Bonefish Grill. Prior to moving to the Syracuse area, he was a chef in Las Vegas.

Thai food is exciting food and that certainly is the case at appeThaizing. Entering this restaurant, I understood very little about Thai cuisine and I was fascinated with the menu and elaborate description of the dishes. Thai cuisine prepared at appeThaizing, uses select and ultimately fresh ingredients to prepare their traditional Thai dishes. It’s easy to learn about the ingredients they use. Adorning the walls, hang numerous spotlighted pictures, showcasing special ingredients used in preparing these scrumptious dishes like Thai hot chili peppers that are used in curries, soups and salads. All chilis contain capsaicin, a biologically active ingredient beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure and the heart. I feel better already! appeThaizing promotes healthy eating by preparing their dishes with the freshest herbs and spices, while all food is freshly cooked to each individual order. Viewing more pictures, other ingredients used in Thai cooking include ginger, garlic, sweet basil, cilantro, turmeric, tamarind, lime, and fresh lemon grass. Don’t forget the coconut milk; it’s used in many Thai dishes. appeThaizing claims that combining a variety of spices and ingredients, results in a "harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, the sweet and sour, and is meant to be equally satisfying to eye, nose and palate." I agree; it is. What makes Thai cuisine so exceptional is the marriage of these fresh ingredients in creative combinations. Each dish at appeThaizing is prepared from scratch and somehow, the chef manages to do it well and do it fast. According to appeThaizing, a traditional Thai meal would include rice, at least one curry, a salad, a fried dish and vegetables.

Our dining experience began with a woodsy Alice White Shiraz wine ($5.75) and a traditional Singha (Thai beer) at $3.95. The Shiraz did a good job complimenting the Thai food and I have to say, go with the Singha beer, you won’t regret it. For appetizers we first chose the Chicken Satay, a popular traditional dish made from chicken pieces marinated in herbs, spices, and coconut milk grilled on skewers and served with appeThaizing peanut sauce and cucumber salad. I had never experienced peanut sauce before; it is delectable and I highly recommend dishes that use this sauce as a base. Another appetizer, Coconut Shrimp is a delectable starter made from crispy coconut-crusted shrimp served with sweet appeThaizing chili sauce topped with (fresh) cilantro. On the menu, you can count on the standard appeThaizing Rolls and Veggie Rolls, with Spring Rolls soon to be added to the menu. We followed our meal with a selection of soups. The dinner menu offers two traditional Thai soups: Tom Yum (the most famous lemon grass soup) and Tom Kha (coconut and galangal soup). You can select chicken, shrimp or tofu to add to the soup. I love coconut, so I chose the Tom Kha soup and was not disappointed. For salads, three traditional and one contemporary salad are available. The favorite, according to Rita is the Thai Beef Salad made from sliced grilled beef, tomatoes, red onions, green onions, and cilantro; tossed with appeThaizing lime dressing over greens. Other salads offered are the Yum Woon Sen (steamed shrimp, glass noodle, tomatoes, red onions, and cilantro tossed with appeThaizing sweet chili lime dressing), the Thai Chicken Salad (sliced grilled chicken, tomatoes, red onions, dried shallots, and mixed greens tossed with appeThaizing peanut dressing), or the contemporary Mixed Greens Salad in a house balsamic or peanut dressing.

When choosing an entrée, there are several categories on the menu. It is important to acknowledge that appeThaizing caters to vegan diets and with almost every entrée, tofu can be substituted for chicken or shrimp. Additionally, vegan dishes must be prepared from scratch to avoid the use of fish stock which is a staple in almost every Thai dish. The first section contains the very popular Noodle dishes. The most famous Thai noodle is the Pad Thai (which is also the most commonly ordered noodle dish at appeThaizing). Pad Thai is a combination of rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts, chives, and fresh ground peanut sautéed in tamarind sauce with your choice of chicken ($9.99), shrimp ($11.99) or tofu ($9.99). Also, under the noodle section you will find Golden Noodle, Pad Kee Mow and Brown Noodle. All of these noodle dishes can be ordered with chicken, shrimp, or tofu. For our main entrees, we selected two of the Chef’s Specials. The Kow Soi dish is for curry and noodle lovers and I chose this. It is made from a special mix of red curry, yellow curry, roasted chili paste, tamarind, sweet coconut milk and finished with a dash of lemon. The sauce is spicy and served over a bed of steamed egg noodles, bok choy and your choice of beef ($12.29), chicken ($11.99), shrimp ($12.49) or tofu ($11.99). It is then topped with crispy egg noodles and garnished with red onion, fresh cilantro, scallions, and dried shallots. I must admit, I am a curry lover and this was remarkably, the best curry I have ever had. My husband chose the Pineapple Fried Rice in Fresh Pineapple Bowl with shrimp for $14.99. Both entrees arrived at our table and the chef’s artistic presentation of each dish was extraordinary. Both dishes were sensually appealing and aromatic. We both agreed that we would certainly order these entrees again upon revisiting our new found restaurant.
It is worth mentioning that under the Sautéed section, four entrees are served with a brown sauce that is a good fit for someone on a vegan diet. Try the Ga Prow, the Pad Num Mun Hoi, the Kow Rad Nha, or the Pad Pak. The most recommended, Pad Prig Pow offers you a choice of meat or tofu sautéed in appeThaizing roasted chili sauce with fresh garlic, chili peppers and coconut milk, flavored with basil and lemon juice. Several fish dishes don this menu and the fish used is Talapia. The most popular of these is the Pla Lad Prig with pan-seared fish topped with appeThaizing chili sauce and cilantro for $13.99. For garlic lovers, try the Pla Gra tiem Thai at $13.00.

Two outstanding beverages include the Thai Iced Tea and hot Ginger Tea. Both are homemade and the taste is out-of-this world. This iced black tea is sweetened to perfection and gently stirred with cream. Rita tells us that people walk in off the street just to sit and relax with a Thai Iced Tea. After tasting it, I can see why. The homemade Ginger Tea is made from fresh ginger root with a sweet and spicy taste that will leave you feeling revitalized and warmed all over. And finally to finish off a surprisingly perfect evening, we enjoyed a homemade dessert concoction, the appeThaizing Banana Fritters with ice cream. They were lightly breaded and rolled in coconut and although the restaurant is adding a cheesecake tiramisu to the menu, I would stick with the fritters.

Food and service are both outstanding at appeThaizing. In their brief first year of business on the Hill, they have developed solid relationships with their neighbors. Many doctors from area hospitals and students from the university have discovered this wonderfully satisfying eatery. Their catering business is growing quickly and take-out service is widely used too. They are open on Mother’s Day, which also happens to be Graduation Weekend for Syracuse University. appeThaizing will be offering 3-course dinner specials at a special price. Choose an appetizer, soup or salad, and entrée for just $22.95. Visit their website for more information.

appeThaizing is located at the Campus Plaza, 727 S. Crouse Ave. You can call (315) 295-2200 to make reservations or visit them at their website at www.appethaizing.com for more information about Thai food. They are open Monday through Saturday 11:00am to 9:00pm serving both a lunch and dinner menu. If you are looking for a restaurant offering a cuisine with unique and distinctive tastes you will surely find it at appeThaizing.