Spartan Daily

Sa By Thai delivers spicy and tasty alternative to students daily cuisines

The curry Pad Kee Mao is made with flat, wide noodles in a yellow curry sauce with bamboo shoots, a mix of veggies and your choice of meat. Photo by Jeffrey Cianci / Saprtan Daily

It's midnight, do you know where your Pad Thai is?

If you're familiar with Sa-By Thai you will know exactly where you can find Pad Thai and other dishes from Thailand served as late as midnight.

With two locations within walking distance of SJSU, one on Eighth and William streets and another several blocks away at Second and William, Sa-By Thai is good choice for students looking to spice up their lunch and dinner options.

Looking through the takeout menu can be a little intimidating for first timers as your eyes glaze over a list of items such as Tom Ka soup, Pad Kee Mao and an assortment of spicy noodle and rice plates.

However, slowing down to read the descriptions and ordering with a bit of bravery will reward you with a delicious and different kind of delicacy.

For appetizers, vegetarian fresh rolls — rice paper stuffed with shredded veggies and mint served alongside a peanut dipping sauce — are an easy option for $5.95.

Chicken sate, grilled skewers of chicken with peanut dipping sauce, is also a winner at $6.95.

Both are far better options than Sa-By Thai's fried meatballs for $6.55, which was like chewing a rubber bouncy ball smothered in sweet and sour sauce.

For soup, a spicy bowl of Tom Ka — a hot and sour coconut based soup with mushrooms, tomatoes and Thai herbs — is an excellent choice for the looming cold and gloomy weather.

As with any entree at Sa-By Thai, you have the choice of meat and level of spiciness.

I recommend adding chicken to your Tom Ka soup and order on the spicy side — your stuffy nose will thank you.

On my visit, lunch specials included a curry Pad Kee Mao — flat wide noodles in a yellow curry sauce with bamboo shoots, onions, bell peppers, sweet basil and a choice of meat.

Fearing I would make my nose run like a faucet, I ordered the Pad Kee Mao medium spicy and enjoyed a well-seasoned flavor of curry and sweet basil with a light afterburn of spice.

Sa-By Thai also serves curries, fried rice plates and seafood specials.

In addition the yellow Pad Kee Mao curry, Sa-By Thai offers a green curry with bell peppers and eggplant, red curry with bell peppers and zucchini and a pumpkin curry made with red curry paste, pumpkin and bell peppers, each for $7.95.

Traditional Thai favorites such as pineapple fried rice with onions, cashews and pineapple and Pad Thai with green onions, bean sprouts and ground peanuts are also available for $8.95 and $7.95, respectively.

If your meal of spicy Thai food has left your nose running and mouth burning, cool your palate with a slow sip of this week's drink of the week, Thai Iced Tea, available at Sa-By Thai for $2.25.

If something sweeter is what you desire, try fried bananas with either honey ($3.95) or ice cream ($4.50) for dessert.

Whether you're fluent in Thai cuisine or you've never heard of Pad Thai, Sa-By Thai is an excellent choice for its closeness to campus and extensive menu of enjoyably spiced dinner options.

Wesley Dugle, Spartan Daily

Sa-By Thai’s vegetarian egg rolls with silver noodles and garlic chili sauce is a satisfying appetizer to have while waiting for your meal. Photo by Jeffrey Cianci / Spartan Daily

If you're familiar with Sa-By Thai you will know exactly where you can find Pad Thai and other dishes from Thailand served as late as midnight. If you're familiar with Sa-By Thai you will know exactly where you can find Pad Thai and other dishes from Thailand served as late as midnight.