Andrea Alvarez writes the night’s special for Thai Spice on the board Thursday.
Grab a pair of chopsticks and dig in!
That’s what many Laramites are saying about the newest addition to town. Thai Spice, located at on Third Street, is serving up traditional cuisine from Thailand to the community, adding to the already popular Asian food chain in the area. With a booming popularity among college students, Thai Spice attracts many to taste their authentic cooking.
Ladda McCune, owner of Thai Spice, grew up on this type of food, sparking her love and interest in this specific cuisine. When deciding to come to Laramie to spread this passion, she chose to share what she learned with her family to the community.
“I chose to open Thai Spice because I want people to experience Thai food like the way I did growing up,” McCunde said. “I welcome everyone who has tried Thai food and loved it along with those who have never experienced this food.”
Standing near her mother’s side as a child and observing the intricate process of making the food, McCune grew up in a family where the Thai culture coursed through their veins.
“My mom taught me her food and I learned from her at our home kitchen,” McCune said. “Growing up in Thailand their was always a big influence to know the culture and food.”
However, Thai Spice isn’t the only Asian restaurant to make Laramie home. Anongs, a couple blocks away from Thai Spice is among other Asian restaurants in the area. McCunde isn’t worried though. Instead she encourages veteran Thai eaters and newcomers in the college community to experience a traditional meal.
“What sets our place apart from other Asian spots in the community is that we have delicious food at good prices, which is important for college kids on budgets,” McCunde said. “I believe Thai Spice not only offers good food, but a great experience.”
With a variety of dishes to choose from, Thai Spice leaves visitors eager to come back for more. Some of the more popular dishes McCunde said are the Spicy Basil, a meat stir-fry with bamboo shots, red pepper, mushroom and fresh Thai basil in a spicy sauce, along with Pad Thai, a traditional dish of meat stir-fry with rice noodles, bean sprouts, egg, and green onions.
Olivia Alley, a micro and molecular biology major, loved Thai food and was excited to visit the new spot in town.
“I love Thai food in general,” Alley said. “It’s really freaking good.”
Alley speaks of trying many different types of Thai food, ranging from spicy to calm, each with a distinct taste that is true to the culture.
“I eat Thai food often, but what I really enjoy about Thai Spice is that the food has lots of flavor and isn’t very spicy,” Alley said. “The people are very nice and friendly which makes the environment a very cool place to go and hang out.”
No matter the distance, McCunde is determined to bring the Thailand culture and food to the Laramie community. With her passion integrated in each dish, Thai Spice encourages a unique and tasty experience.
“I want to share my food with everyone,” McCune said.
