After you play a game of golf in Houston, spice up your day with Thai cuisine. Many of the top restaurants are modest in decor, but they serve mouthwatering, authentic food. One warning: Thai dishes can get pretty hot, so before you rush in, ask your server to recommend a spice level to meet your tastes.
Patu's Thai Cuisine
Patu's is a small restaurant that serves big portions of delicious Thai fare. Start your meal with dumplings filled with pork and vegetables; fish cakes marinated with chilies; or satay---skewered chicken or beef served with peanut sauce. Another popular choice is golden toast, bread topped with ground pork and lightly fried.
House specialties include shrimp curry; soft shell crab with garlic; seafood soup with lemongrass; a whole fried fish with spicy chili sauce; and lightly battered fried duck. Many patrons stick with Patu's savory noodles dishes, such as rice noodles with peanuts, or fried egg noodles with bamboo shoots.
Patu's Thai Cuisine
2420 Rice Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77005
(713) 528-6998
menuism.com
Vieng Thai
At Vieng Thai, the lovely presentation of the food matches the scrumptious flavors. You feel you could be in a Bangkok restaurant when your meal begins with delicate springs rolls wrapped in rice paper, fish cakes with peanut relish or a plate of succulent spare ribs.
The salad choices are inviting, too. Try papaya salad with lime dressing; bamboo shoots with onions, mint and cilantro; or the grilled pork or beef salad with chilies and herbs. For your entree, order chicken in ginger sauce; pork with curry paste and lime leaves; or crispy catfish cooked with basil. Vegetarians will enjoy the tofu curry, spicy eggplant, basil fried rice, and watercress with garlic and black bean sauce.
Vieng Thai
6929 Long Point Drive
Houston, Texas 77055
(713) 688-0010
viengthaihouston.com
Nidda Thai Cuisine
Locals and visitors flock to this modest restaurant for delectable, sometimes esoteric, Thai dishes such as chu chee eggplant. Patrons love this restaurant's preparation of crispy eggplant topped with curry sauce and kaffir lime leaves.
That's just one small part of the well-chosen menu. You'll also find appetizers including marinated shrimp and green onions, and grilled beef or pork with a spicy glaze. Seafood dishes feature tilapia with basil; red snapper topped with chili sauce; and shrimp sauteed with garlic and pepper. You also may want to try one of the chef's recommendations---chicken, beef, pork or tofu sauteed with vegetables and a choice of fresh sauces such as ginger, peanut or lemongrass.
Nidda Thai Cuisine
1226 Westheimer
Houston, Texas 77006
(713) 522 - 8895
About The Author
Barbara Dunlap is a freelance writer in Oregon. She was a garden editor at "The San Francisco Chronicle," and she currently specializes in travel and active lifestyle topics like golf and fitness. She received a master's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has been a Knight Foundation Fellow.
