THE
Spice of Life
STORY BY CHERYL SHANK
Two new restaurants in Madison County that challenge the status quo , Thai Divine , 4304 Scatterfield Road , Anderson , and Edicta 39 , 104 West State Street , Pendleton , will capture your imagination and your palate . Truly international cuisine , these two new venues do not disappoint .
Thai Divine ’ s name speaks to what their guests will experience . The food , the ambience , and the service are indeed , divine . Upon entering the beautifully appointed dining room , you are greeted by friendly staff welcoming you into a different and unique meal experience . The menu has dozens of traditional Thai dishes that are prepared individually to each customer ’ s liking . Appetizers include well-known offerings such as chicken satay and Thai salad rolls , but also offers some not as well-known , such as the sweet Thai calamari . Calamari rings are tossed in a seasoned flour , deep fried to a golden brown , then mixed in a sweet Thai garlic sauce that will awaken your taste buds .
Colorful salads are offered , such as Papaya salad . A bed of fresh shredded papaya , mortar pounded with carrots , cherry tomatoes , green beans , and peanuts , is served finished with a special Thai spicy dressing . Thai Divine offers an amazing array of curries . Green , red , yellow , Mussaman , a mild , slightly sweet , and tangy curry , and rich and creamy Panang curries are featured on the menu daily .
Pad noodle dishes , such as Pad Thai , and Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles ) are offered as lunch specials which are served from 11:00 a . m . – 3:30 p . m . Monday – Friday . Fantastic specialties such as Tiger Garlic and Pepper and Thai Beef with Oyster Sauce , along with stir-frys can also be chosen at a wonderfully moderate price . The dinner selection of entrees and specialties offers a wide variety of tastes to suit every palate . You can order the heat level from mild to Thai hot , depending on your preferred level of spice .
No meal is complete without dessert and Thai Divine does not disappoint offering traditional sweet sticky rice with Thai custard or Mango , or fried bananas drizzled with honey and sprinkled with toasted coconut . The latter of which can come with two scoops of ice cream if you choose . Accompanied by teas and juices , your meal is complete .
Open for lunch and dinner , Thai Divine ’ s hours are posted on their website www . thaidivineanderson . com .
Guillermo Delgado and Valerie Parra , the welcoming owners of Edicta 39 , arrived in Pendleton two years ago and opened their restaurant in February 2023 . Their hospitality and service is shown throughout your visit as they truly want you to enjoy your experience . The restaurant , named for Guillermo ’ s grandmother Edicta who was born in Venezuela in 1939 , serves traditional Venezuelan and Latin fusion foods . The recipes used for the many dishes on the menu are hers . And , the menu is huge , many , many choices can be had .
Desayunos , or Breakfast , is served daily offering a variety of arepas and empanadas . A unique choice would be the Tequeyoyo , featuring Llanero cheese , ham , and a banana wrapped in a slightly sweet wheat dough . Almuerzo , or lunch , offers a variety of risotto dishes and salads , but one of the favorite lunchtime choices is ceviche , a dish with shrimp paired with lemon or lime juices and tossed with onions , cilantro , peppers , and tomatoes . Arepas , a white corn cake that is filled with a variety of fillings are also customer favorites .
If your palate is craving pasta , Lasagna Venezuelan Style is a must . Layers of ham , cheese , boiled egg , pea , napole sauce , bologna sauce , bechamel cream , parmesan , and pesto is accompanied by a Caesar salad and garlic bread .
Paella , specifically Paella Mixta , is one of the bestknown dishes in Hispanic cuisine , and is a meal of rice , saffron , shrimp , octopus , squid , prawns , sea shells , chicken , beef , and vegetables all cooked in one pan . Edicta 39 ’ s serving is so ample it can be shared , as is the custom .
One selection from the menu cannot be missed and that is Postre , dessert . For the finale of your meal you may want to choose Quesillo , the emblematic dessert of Venezuela . Its appearance is strikingly similar to that of flan , but , if you ask Guillermo or Valerie , or any other Venezuelan , they will declare that Quesillo is clearly not flan !
As was said earlier , the menu at Edicta 39 is quite large . Hamburgers , Perros Calientes , ( hot dogs ) Pepitos , and many other offerings are there for the choosing . Traditional drinks of Venezuela , as well as standard fare are available , too . Make a visit soon and enjoy something different !
More information can be found at www . Edicta39 . com
Anderson Madison County Visitors Bureau | 15