Christina Best

It’s official! I have bought my domain–christinasbestlife.com! The new website name does double duty. It gives a clearer picture of the type of content I am producing, and it’s a great way to promote my personal brand. I am excited to continue publishing quality content about all the fashion, food, and fun that inspires me.

Today is a combo post! I will be sharing information about both fashion and food I enjoyed on September 13.

In summary, Jesse and I enjoyed a simple night out. Plaid was worn, and Thai food was consumed. (Get it? Plaid Thai? I’m so pun-ny!)

“One tall pumpkin spice latte, please.”

If this outfit doesn’t make you visualize drinking a pumpkin spice latte in the park with your best friend while Instagram-ing photos of the fall leaves then…I respect that. That’s just what I envisioned when I looked at the pictures of me in this outfit. This is a great summer-to-fall look, I think. The bit of midriff is a playful reminder that summer isn’t quite over while the combination of the plaid shirt and high-waist jeans is my way of acknowledging that fall is around the corner.

headband//h&m
shirt//h&m (old)//similar plaid cotton shirt
pants//h&m (current)//similar slim fit high-waist pants
boots//delia*s (old)//similar western boot (DSW)

 Simply Thai, Simply Delicious

Simply Thai on Urbanspoon
Simply Thai on Yelp

There’s a good chance that if you live in the Nashville area you’ve never heard of this restaurant. I live east of the city so it was a close drive. However, it’s definitely out-of-the-way for people living in the city of Nashville. Overall, Jesse and I have had great dining experiences at Simply Thai. It’s become one of our staple date-night restaurants when we don’t feel like venturing into the city.

Cabbage salad: My cabbage salad was $2.95, and it was a generous serving. I feel like salads are a menu item that are always marked up at restaurants, so I appreciate that this gem of a salad is actually a reasonable price. Jesse and I shared it as an appetizer. The waiter asked how spicy we wanted it, which I didn’t realize was an option. We tried medium, which made for a unique combination given the relative sweetness of this salad.

Satay (Appetizer): The satay is four pieces of chicken on wooden skewers served with peanut and duck sauces. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and could be pulled off the skewer with ease. I enjoyed taste-testing the two Asian-inspired sauces. The perfect appetizer for two.

Veggie curry fried rice (Entrée): Last time Jesse and I ate at Simply Thai he ordered the curry fried rice (which he ordered again during this visit). Like a cartoon, I could see the waves of heat rising from my plate as the waiter brought it to the table. I attacked the plate with the grace and beauty you’d expect from a woman who avoided snacking all afternoon so she’d have plenty of room for a good dinner. Not only was it hot (like, fresh-off-the-stove hot) but it had the perfect amount of spice and a generous serving of veggies (carrots, zucchini, baby born, cabbage, and broccoli). Disclaimer: This dish alone could serve a family of four. If you plan on ordering it for yourself (as I did) I promise you will have leftovers for days. I think the same can be said about most of their entrées.

Pros

• Food quality: Sometimes restaurants neglect to highlight the flavor of the spices used in a dish. Instead of flavor, your mouth is assaulted with only heat. What makes Simply Thai’s food stand out from other Thai food I’ve tried is that the heat of their spices (mild, medium, hot) actually have flavor.
• Prices: I think most entrées/meals are under $10. Plus, they offer huge servings. You’re definitely getting your money’s worth at Simply Thai.
  Selection: I’ve found that menus at Asian restaurants can sometimes be difficult to understand, often because so many items are shoved on the menu. However, Simply Thai offers enough variety, and the menu is easy to follow.

Cons

• Location: Out of the way, especially for Nashville residents. Also, could be easy to pass by as it’s near some car repair shops and other random non-restaurant businesses.
• Size: The two times we’ve gone to Simply Thai Jesse and I have been seated immediately. However, they only have nine or ten tables so, on busier nights, I imagine the wait can be quite long.

Rating
I will openly accept any skepticism about my rating. I’m a newbie to the Nashville foodie scene, and I’ve only had Thai food about half a dozen times. However, I think Simply Thai produces high-quality Thai food at great prices so they’re getting a 5 out of 5 from me!