Thailand Station — Restaurant in Springfield

I almost feel guilty for this review because it's a cute place, clean, and the staff were great. The elevator music was a little weird, but the food was presented beautifully, and it seems to be a popular place.

But...

I ordered the garlic vegetables with chicken, four out of five peppers on the heat scale (because I love spicy Thai food). The garlic sauce was watered down, nearly flavorless. The rice when added to the plate became a mushy paste. And the "heat" was maybe one-pepper, if that.

I asked for chili oil hoping to add some kind of flavor, some kind of heat. The only chili oil option was something akin to watered-down Sriracha. I ended up not eating more than a few of bites, and that was only in the course of trying to add some flavor to it.

I ended up setting my plate aside. I tried not to make a thing about it. I don't wanna be "that person." And my fiancee enjoyed her pineapple chicken fried rice.

At least two staff members offered to make me something else, but since my fiancee was nearly done and people were waiting for tables, I respectfully declined. I felt really bad for having to say "no thank you" so many times. They didn't charge me for my plate, so that was nice of them.

I blame it on Springfield, really. Every traditional-style Asian restaurant I've been to here says their recipes have to be changed to appeal to a "Western palate," and seeing as how Springfield is apparently chock full of stereotypical white folks who consider mayonnaise a complex spice, I guess it makes sense that this Southside Thai place...

Best thai food in Missouri and Arkansas! I can't speak for other states, but this is the only place that will make your food spicier than the 5 spice level. All other Thai food places have assured me that their "hottest" Thai spicy level will be plenty for me but, they were wrong. I don't have a crazy spice tolerance, but I like my food spicier than most.

The spice levels 1-5 our waitress told us were heated with red cayenne pepper flakes, which aren't spicy at all in my opinion. So I asked if they had Thai chili peppers available, and she then told me that they had another spice scale of 10-25. I ordered the drunken noodle at a 20 spice level, and I could see the cut up Thai chilis on the plate. I had a runny nose by the time I finished my plate. Finally! A Thai restaurant that actually serves spicy Thai food! You just have to ask. Not to mention the service was amazing and the food was hot and...

We got to the restaurant and it was packed, so we had to wait. Someone else waiting before us told us that it was the wait, so we did., We didn't have to wait long, perhaps 10 minutes. We were seated and got our menus. We ended up ordering the steamed dumplings and crab Rangoons for appetizers and the shrimp pad Thai for dinner. Everything was excellent! The ginger vinegar sauce with the dumplings was like nothing I've ever had before. It enhanced the dumplings without overpowering them. The dipping sauce for the crab Rangoons was some of the best I've ever had. It was sweet and spicy, but again, did not overpower the food . The shrimp pad Thai was fantastic. The staff there was friendly and efficient, quick to refill glasses, but not hovering. We're excited to go back and try some of the other dishes. This is the best Thai restaurant we've been to so far in...