Thai Food in Austin: Explaining the Inexplicable

I have long wondered why so many Austinites seem to be either indifferent toward or uncomfortable with Thai food. It may simply be that the predominant cuisine icons around here: steak, BBQ, burgers, and Tex Mex are so deeply rooted in Central Texas dining attitudes and habits that something relatively unfamiliar has a hard time breaking through.

Thai cuisine appears to have its greatest support around the UT area: Madam Mam’s on the drag is constantly crowded with students most hours of the day.

And yet just a few miles south on W 6th st. fine restaurants like Lemongrass and Thai Tara have languished and ultimately closed. And the newer Crave at MLK and Guadalupe has yet to set the world on fire. Perhaps the best drawing Thai place downtown is Thai Passion. It’s got a great menu but I can’t honestly say that the food is head and shoulders above any of the others mentioned in this piece.

There are many great Thai joints around the city. Satay on Anderson Lane is an excellent restaurant helmed by the inimitable Dr. Foo Swasdee. Yet it could use some more customers. Chon Som on Wells Branch is another neat place that’s searching for a larger audience as is Ka Prow at Howard Lane and N IH-35. Likewise with the excellent Titaya on N. Lamar. And the Thai Spice in the HEB center in Westlake is another good-lunch slow-dinner phenomenon. Also true for the very good Non La in Lakeway and the neat little Subsin on S. Manchaca near Stassney. The only restaurant south that appears to get decent traffic is the second Madam Mam’s location at Westgate.

So for you uninitiated foodies who have yet to take that first step into the world of Pad Kee Mao and Tod Mum here’s a brief tutorial.

Thai food doesn’t have to be indigestibly spicy. It all depends on the peppers used. The flavors are diverse and very appealing. The Panang Curry is a mellow dish that does not in the least overwhelm. I get mine with Fried Tofu and it’s a treat.

Pad means to “stir fry” and you’ll see lots of dishes beginning with Pad on Thai menus. Pad Thai is the classic and most well-known of the stir fried dishes. It’s made with rice noodles, peanuts, scallions, tamarind paste, a little fish sauce, finely ground red chile peppers, shrimp (my preference) but you can use tofu, beef, or pork as well. I’ve been in love with this dish since I first tried it in California years ago.
There are as many pad dishes as there are chefs with imagination. Another favorite is the Pad Prik King which mixes stir fried green beans with a delightful chile paste and fish sauce and tofu with a hint of oil and a dash of soy. It’s vegetarian, healthy and damned good,.

I could go on. The Drunken Noodles are always great and the appetizers are fun. The Cheese Rolls can be terrific along with the Yam Patties and the Satay skewers of chicken or beef.

Take a chance here folks. Thai food is wonderful, inexpensive, and highly approachable. Any of the restaurants mentioned here would be a great place to start.