TAC (Thai Authentic Cuisine) Quick Thai Kitchen in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood hands most diners a standard menu with traditional Thai cuisine — but insiders know to ask for the special menu with dishes like Fish Maw Salad, the Boat Noodle, and Chewy Beef Jerkey.
Here’s Tasting Table’s writeup on it:
“Most diners walk into TAC Quick Thai and are handed a standard trifold menu. But the informed request something else: a single sheet of authentic Thai specialties reserved for those in the know.
It holds some of the restaurant’s most addictive dishes, like chewy beef “jerky” (neua dad deaw, $6) marinated in sweet soy sauce until almost candied and served with a vinegary chile sauce. Nuggets of deep-fried marinated chicken (kai thawt, $7.50) are flavored with soy and lime, and peppery Vietnamese-style pork meatballs (nam nuang, $8) come with plum sauce, herbs and rice paper for wrapping.”
The Lesson: Making someone feel like an insider requires giving them special benefits or information — and a secret menu or product offering is a fantastic and inexpensive way to do it.
Photo from Tasting Table.
