too funny on the replies so far - I didn't know there was so much love for Thai Gourmet. Our family absolutely loves that place. You're doing yourself an injustice if you don't try it at least once!
I haven't tried this place.. but I hear Kanomwan is supposed to amazing (located off Telephone Rd.).. and that during lunch people wait for a while just for a table... but I've also heard the service isn't great.. which makes me wonder how good the food must be if people actually line up and wait for ****ty service.. anyways.. anyone here tried it.. of so what are your thoughts?
Best I've ever had, hands down. We called it Telephone Thai in law school. Get the tom kha, it's life-changing.
The service used to be sort of amusing, especially at the old location. There was a gentleman (affectionately known as the Thai Nazi) who would give service so different from the generic waitstaff fawning you get most places it was actually fun. I remember I was drinking too much iced tea for his liking (presumably because the food was hot) and he admonished me to "EAT MORE RICE!"....Then my mom asked them if they had any dessert and he offered her a stick of gum. I believe the gentleman is deceased now, but I always thought it was a cool experience to go.
Kanomwan and Thai Gourmet.........in that order. The Tom Kha Gai and the Tom Yum Gai at Kanomwan are the closest thing I've ever tasted to actual being in Thailand Thai food. The whole fish, shrimp with chili sauce, pad woon sen, and yum woon sen are other standouts. The problem with Kanomwan is that you sometimes have to ask them to make it spicier to get a true Thai spicy. After the old man died, the place has lost some of its charm, but the service has improved.....and the food is usually as good as ever. Thai Gourmet has some incredible dishes as well, but I ding them for inconsistency. I've had some of the best pad woon sen there ever (can't remember what they call it.......they use Americanized names for their dishes), and I've also had some of the best Panang curry. Their okra can be to die for. I've also had these same dishes here where they were just blah. The problem with Thai Gourmet--besides the inconsistency--is that sometimes (if you order Thai Hot or even just Hot), the dish is out of balance spicy. I can handle the heat, but I really love Thai food, and if the dish is out of balance, it just isn't as good. I've NEVER had Thai food in Thailand as spicy as they sometimes make it at Thai Gourmet. It's fun once in a while.......but sometimes it's just ridiculous. Don't let my dings to either restaurant deter you...........Houston is blessed with some of the best Thai food in the US with these two restaurants.
agreed with kanomwan and thai gourmet. also agree about the inconsistency of thai gourmet. i know this will get me flamed, and i know it's an americanized-ish chain, but the red curry at thai cottage is like crack to me. i love it unapologetically, and i think most of their other dishes are solid too.
There's nothing wring with Nit Noi in my book. I love their curry and their pad thai. My girlfriend has been to Thailand (she lived in SE Asia for 6 years), and she was blown away by Nit Noi. It is better than anything you can get in Austin and probably the rest of the state.
