East Idaho Eats: Original Thai’s spicy dishes will leave you craving more

REXBURG – It’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s got a funny name and an even better backstory.

It’s called the Drunken Noodle, and it’s one of the signature authentic dishes at Original Thai on Main Street in Rexburg. The noodle dish has Thai peppers, garlic, basil, your choice of chicken, beef, or pork and rice noodles. It can be customized from mild to very hot.

“In Thailand this is a recipe used to cure hangovers, because it’s so spicy,” owner Faksit Fung told EastIdahoNews.com. “The Drunken Noodle is much spicier in Thailand.”

The dish delivers a very distinct spicy flavor, he said. Similar to all the dishes at the Rexburg eatery, the sauces used in the Drunken Noodle are all made authentically in house. Fung said they use different herbs and spices in their recipes.

The sauce for the Pad Thai — another popular dish — takes at least three hours to make. Pad Thai is a savory dish with eggs, green onions, bean sprouts, chicken and shrimp.

Brigham Young University-Idaho student Sydni Lankford said she and her roommate order the Pad Thai at least once a week.

“The food is delicious. It tastes really really great. I like the vibe too. It is really cool,” Lankford said.

Original Thai has been a favorite among college students and locals since it opened in 2008, after another Thai restaurant closed at that location. Fung attributes his restaurant’s success to its authentic dishes. He stressed that Thai food isn’t like a Chinese cuisine, and customers like that.

“There’s Thai food and then there’s Thai food,” customer Lucas Handy said. “These are real people from Thailand that make Thai food and I really appreciate that.”

Employee Angie Tobchan said she’s only worked at the restaurant for a couple months, but to her it feels like home. She’s worked and eaten at other Thai restaurants and this is by far the best she has had.

“I love working around Thai people. I love talking in Thai,” Tobchan said.