Due to the coronavirus, I haven’t been able to go out and to my favorite spots in Santa Barbara, but we have been able to have our favorite foods delivered. The best Thai food restaurant in town that we love is called Galanga Thai located on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. It is in the perfect spot and gets a lot of pedestrians just passing by looking for an affordable delicious meal.

Galangal root is an Eastern Asian herb that is closely related to the ginger and tumeric root family, shaped like a leaf. It has a sharp, immensely spicy flavor and they put it in many of their soups and entrees. 

My family loves to eat Thai food but there aren’t many places here in town. On Milpas Street, there is another little Thai restaurant called Your Place and the same family owns it that owns Galanga Thai. It’s quite good but doesn’t have the same exact menu. 

Whenever we go to Galanga Thai we always get the same things. A big family sized Tom Kha Kai soup with shrimp, my mom gets spicy basil beef, my dad gets the shrimp pad thai and I usually get the panang chicken curry. The soup is so delicious, we have tried to recreate it but it doesn’t taste as good. 

We have been going to Galanga Thai since before I was born. My mom always got the chicken Pad Thai and shared it. When I got old enough my sister and I would have the soup. They have been there for years and we have stuck with them all through this time. The owner knows us every time we walk in and always gives us complimentary Thai Iced Tea. 

The other night we ordered Thai food and I got what I usually do. It was nice to have order out from a restaurant to help make these uncertain quarantine times feel more normal. Some of our friend’s restaurants during these times have been hurt and their business is slowly closing down, but Galanga Thai has been doing well. They have opened up delivery services along with their takeout and keeping business up.