Thai food in Austin? (Houston, Dallas: restaurants, price, groceries)

[alan777]

I love Thai food. I am most likely moving from Portland, Oregon to Austin in a few months from now. Portland has TONS of really great Thai food to be had. Are there any good/great Thai restaurants in Austin?

[centralaustinite]

Okay, here's where you remember that Austin is not Chicago (or Houston) and not on the west coast! You will not find a Thai place on every corner.

But we do have Thai. My husband is actually an amazing cook of Thai food. You can get kaffir lime leaves here, galanga, etc.

We enjoy the food at Thai Kitchen (south location) and Thai Village.
Homepage - Thai Village in Austin, Texas
Thai Kitchen
Madame Mam's is supposed to be very good.
Madam Mam's Noodle & More
And then there is Thai Fresh which is a grocery and take-away.

Thai-Fresh, Austin :: Thai restaurant • Thai groceries • cooking classes

[alan777]

Oh, I have no illusions about what Austin is. I expect Austin to be Austin. I see many posts here from people who have unrealistic expectations. In fact, I am looking forward to NOT being on the West Coast.

I just wanted to know if decent/good Thai food could be had. Thank you for the recommendations.

[centralaustinite]

You will do fine. As I said, there is not an overwhelming amount of Thai restaurants here but they are here.

I think that many people take for granted things that make their current town unique and then they are surprised (and some angered) when they get here and realize that they can't get the exact same thing they loved here.

I grew up in St. Louis and there most of the restaurants are Italian, fabulous, diverse, authentic and in every price range from super-unbelievably pricey to little dives. There is nothing in Texas like any of those restaurants. After about two years I finally figured it out and gave up. Now I only eat Italian when I visit up north (Chicago and NY among other places have comparable Italian).

But now I am a tex-mex and interior Mexican food snob. I won't eat tex-mex or mex-mex anywhere north of Dallas! I love the diversity of mexican food here.

Anyway . . . I guess you have to "love the one that you are with"

Welcome to Austin!

[Moonlady]

Thai Kitchen is one of my favorites.

centralaustinite - where do you get your kaffir lime leaves?

[alan777]

centralaustinite, it is a good thing I am also a freak for great Mexican food. If the Mex food is that good I will be in Heaven!

[OntheMoveAGAIN]

We left Oregon and really miss Thai Orchid (a restaurant in Hillsboro).
We have found some good Thai food here but my husband still thinks he hasn't found the same combination of flavors that restaurant produced here yet!.

[ROY DUBOSE]

thai passion -- downtown has the best ambience but they've opened an additional location @ 183 n burnet -- you've developed a taste for great and, not being a real foodie, can't claim how good the overall experience will be but believe it's a good place to start

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

Thai Kitchen is one of my favorites.

centralaustinite - where do you get your kaffir lime leaves?

Usually at Central Market North. Their supply waxes and wanes, so they do not always have them. But when they do, grab several handfuls. Kaffir lime leaves freeze well, then you can just pull out one or two when you need them. I think that Thai Fresh usually has them too but most Asian markets (including MT) don't stock them.

We actually tried to grow a little kaffir lime seedling --- then, we learned that it is a very slow growing plant, a seeding will produce two new lime leaves a year We eat them a much more rapid pace. But that is one reason that they are expensive and hard to obtain. But they make such a difference in the taste of a dish! Yummy.

[Moonlady]

Thanks...tried to give you rep points, but it wouldn't let me...another time.