We went back to Dee-lish Restaurant.

When I think about it, there was little time between our first visit and this one that I’m not sure we even left. Regardless, the food was so good that I was glad to be back in comfortable surroundings no matter how foreign they were. We weren’t at the point that we were cool with the restaurant staff, but we were getting to the point that they were getting familiar with our faces. Maybe that’s the benefit of being few black folks in Phuket—we stand out and you can’t forget us. The first time we were at Dee-Lish we had and amazing lunch, this time we would see if they could do it again!

Since we studied the menu before, it only took a few glances for us to make our final decision. I initially wanted to try the Pad Thai (140 baht, $4) to see how it would taste in the country of origin, but I strayed from that thought. It was easy to do that considering Brittany was ordering it. You can’t really be related to me and sit at a table with me if you don’t plan on sharing your food. You might as well get up and cut your branch off the family tree if that’s the case. She agreed to share tiny bites of her food when it arrived so I looked to order something else. At this moment, the voice of my friend Nana was loud and clear in my ear. In the auditory flashback, I could recall the time we were hanging out and remembered her saying how much she loved chicken satay. I couldn’t remember having it before so I figured now was a better time than ever to go for it.

“I’ll have the Chicken Satay with Fried Rice (150 baht, $5) and a Strawberry Shake (90 baht, $2.50), please”.

Our drinks were the first to arrive. Just like during our first time at Dee-Lish, the shake was delicious. The strawberry shake was thick and sweet, but unfortunately it didn’t taste like it was made with fresh fruit. It was most likely made from concentrate in a can and blended. In spite of that, it actually reminded me of a Starburst candy. When comparing this one to to the coconut flavor that I had during our first visit, I actually like the coconut flavor better. The coconut won me over because of its milky taste and creamy texture. While the strawberry was good, the coconut was memorable.

Once Brittany’s plate arrived, I spent little time putting my fork in it. Don’t get me wrong, she had the first bite and I watched her enjoy it. But to be honest, I’m a tad impatient when it comes to food. I can control it but I don’t like waiting; I want it now. So watching her eat it almost felt like an eternity. “Chew faster, girl”, I muttered. “Hurry it up, Brit.” I said between clenched teeth. Part of me was thinking she was doing it on purpose–making me wait for her food, who does she think she is? Once she gave me the ok, I went for it. Her pad Thai tasted very similar to what I’ve had back home. Part of me was hoping to fall in love with something different in this dish so anytime I would eat pad Thai back home, I would always think of how much better it was in Phuket. Then I’d end up booking a ticket to Thailand just for the dish. That wasn’t the case, instead they were pretty similar in taste and look. Same seasoning, same noodles, same everything. That is in no way is a bad thing, it just showed consistency in the dish whether in the states or in Thailand. But man I would have loved to see at least some crazy noodles on the plate!

After I cleaned my fork of Brittany’s lunch, I was ready to try my own. The chicken satay came with pieces of chicken in a peanut satay, a mound of fried rice, and a side of cucumbers and tomatoes. The vegetables were nice, crisp, and fresh. The fried rice was good, but it was the protein that I was eager to try. About seven slices of chicken were covered in the think satay sauce atop a banana leaf. It looked and smelled delicious. Slicing into the chicken, small amounts of steam creeped out. Taking caution not to burn my moth (I need to keep my taste buds, guys) I ate the chicken alone to gather its taste. The chicken was tender and juicy and the satay was full of a rich and creamy peanut flavor. A few bites later I added the rice to make an even greater combination and before I knew it, I was licking the banana leaf and it was all gone. I really liked the simplicity of this dish and the peanut flavor that was prominent in the satay.

This lunch was another home run for Dee-Lish restaurant. From my chicken satay to small bites Brittany so graciously let me steal of her pad Thai, I was glad we went back. So much so, I left a clean plate on the table and a smile on my face. It was the best $5 I’ve ever spent.