Biting Into Thai Kitchen and Titaya's Thai Cuisine

Thai Kitchen has been a serious addiction of ours for about 6 years. It all started one New Year's Eve when we didn't really have the bucks or energy to go out, but at least wanted a yummy take out meal. Thai sounded really good.

Before our move to Austin 7+ years ago we lived in Chicago, where every other block had an amazing looking culinary experience. It was hard to be poor in Chicago with all the great restaurants waving us in. We have a theory that at least half, but probably more, of our unpaid credit card debt can be attributed to meals we didn't really have the bucks for.

We spent our share of time at a couple of popular noodle houses, Hi Ricky (which is now closed) and Penny's Noodle Shop. We also went about twice a week to a totally fantastic small restaurant called Noodles in the Pot, mostly because the Chicago Reader kept featuring a buy one get one free coupon. We love our Thai.

Although we've heard somewhere that Austin has more restaurants per capita than any other American city (3/4 of which have to be divey Mexican joints), it isn't really famous for its Thai options. There is Madame Mam's, which we haven't quite caught onto, although it is a Chronicle fave. There is the more upscale Thai Passion, which we enjoy now and again and is a solid, if not spectacular, experience, and there are a few sprinkled here and there which we haven't tried yet. But we have been known to frequent Thai Kitchen up to twice weekly. Mostly we do take out. They are close (we visit the one on Guadalupe), relatively cheap (though we think they could be cheaper) and they really do hit the spot when spicy and greasy is what the tummy puts in a request for.

They don't appear to use the freshest of ingredients (though we can't say for sure), nor are the dishes consistent in quality. Sometimes our spicy veggies, tofu, and cashews dish comes sans spiciness. Once it came without the cashews. Sometimes the sauce doesn't taste exactly as it should. Still, we keep going back. It can't be the MSG. We always order ours without. What is it? Is there some secret addictive ingredient, a la the modern cigarette? We guess sometimes a person just feels like the comfortable choice. Gourmet is great, but sometimes cheap just does the job.

Now there is a new Thai place that is currently competing for our quickie Thai fixes and that is Titaya's on North Lamar. It has replaced a Pho restaurant near the new Half Price Books on North Lamar. It's still kind of divey, but so far we haven't been disappointed in our dishes. We have tried the Pad Ginger and the Pad Cashews, both with the fried tofu as our choice of "meat". Titaya's does have a small selection of vegetable dishes, but a large portion of their menu can be made with tofu instead of beef, chicken, shrimp, or (gasp!) pork. It's so nice to have a large selection, even if we tend to stick with a few favorites.

Our only real complaint with Titaya's is the prices. Lunches are reasonable at $6.50 on average, but many of their dinner choices run upwards of 9 and 10 bucks. The specials are in the $13 to $15 range. It feels a little high for the product. Maybe we are just in denial about inflation, but it hurts to bring home a take out kind of meal for two for $20 bucks. What do the Austinist readers think?

Thai Kitchen
3009 Guadalupe St.
(512) 474-2575

Titaya's Thai Cuisine
5501 N. Lamar Blvd. Suite C101
(512) 458-1792

*Image (c) thailandlife.com

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Alison Coffey in Food on February 27, 2006 9:07 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Shirley Martin

We first tried Titaya just because they were across the street from our daughter's dance class. Now it's hard to stay away! I've tried almost everything vegetarian on the menu, and loved them all. Then one day we tried the coconut dessert - and WOW! it was wonderful. It's not a takeout item, though, because it's baked in a pair of beautiful tiny ceramic bowls. So if you have time to eat in once in a while, try the desserts.

The service is always friendly and helpful, and they get the food to the table right away, so we can eat our lunch at a leisurely pace and still pick up our kid at the end of the hour. By the way, this 8-year-old kid loves the food, too.

For such high-quality food we should expect to pay more than for the run-of-the-mill, and I think Titaya's prices are fair.

Kirk Miles

You guys are too cheap! The food is remarkably consistent up and down the menu, and if you'll bother to stay the service is excellent. Bring a bottle of wine and hang out, it's a friendly place.

It costs less than Thai Passion, and is defninitely better than Thai Kitchen.

Clay King

To the last persons comments about the thai restaurant. My advice to this indivisual is that you seek the atention of a good head Doctor. Your thought process is typical of a pychotic person going through a personal break down that possibly could end up in a criminal court of law. Good luck

....

Hello Austinist Community,

I am here to give my absolute apology to anyone who has been offended by my comments. I have asked the editor of this website to retract everything I have said.

Let me state a bit about myself. Yes, I identify strongly with my Thai ethnicity. It is something that I have always been very proud of. I have become very saddened with the state of affairs in Thailand and wish there could be change. There are just so many issues that I wish could be helped in a developing country. You can see certain effects of neo-colonialism, tourism, and then you see certain small things in every day life, like how the youth and youth culture there now pretty much do not care for "being Thai" anymore. It seems like many of the youth there identify Thai with "being poor" and many other negative things. The people there seem like they want to be anything else other than Thai. They want to be American, English, Japanese, or Korean. I am not saying that is a bad thing, but I wish they can see the many beautiful things of Thai culture. Yes, I think it is sad.

And yes, I took out my frustrations out on an innocent restaurant called Titaya's.

Let the truth be known, I am coming forward right now, from a direct cause of someone who busted me for writing these slanderous remarks about Titaya's. But he was not the one that convinced me fully of what I was doing was wrong. I went to Titaya's restaurant itself and found out that it is a hardworking family business. All of the family members came out, and I apologized to them.

At this point, I do not think an apology will make things even. My remarks have already done their damage, so I want to encourage everyone to please go and give Titaya's restaurant a try. I believe that you will enjoy the food, but if not I am sure you will fall in love with its charming family. And through them you will be convinced to keep coming back for many of its prosperous years to come.

Ronald bokiena

I'm norwegian, and love all kinds of different foods, thai is one of my favorites, , but this restaurant - Titayas - is a true example of tasters heavenly delight. I was truly blown away by this place , it is excellent, and the service is impecible. very friendly people with a down to earth non pretentious attitude. I recomend this place to all people that enjoy good food and a relaxed atmosphere.

Jimmy walker

Look, you cheapskates, Titayas is excellent food, at good prices, and it does take money to operate a restaurant with a marginal profit. Titayas is the best thai restaurant I have eaten at so far, if your a food court junky that doesn't know your thai food then eat at madam mams or thai kitchen , I have lived in Thailand and this is the closest you get to it , and who cares about the looks, if you want a colorful restaurant go eat at apple bees or chilis , so get lost loser.

techjulie

Penny's Noodles!!! I miss that place so much!! I'd reccommend Thai Spice in Westlake -- it's really tasty. Thai Kitchen on Guad. is good food and the service has always been friendly. Thai Passion is my choice downtown except that I'm in love with the yam and corn cakes at Thai Tara.

snob

eeeeeasssy, bob.

btw, i would never eat at a restaurant with a silver camarro parked out front. at least no post-1983 camarro.

alison

Thanks for the advice, Bob, you ball of sunshine you. Actually, in the large scheme of things 9 bucks is pretty average. But I feel a little poke of pain for paying the same for a meal at Thai Kitchen as I do for a meal at La Traviata. One is a nice restaurant, the other a good greasy Thai fix. And Please don't be hating vegetarians, Bob. Spend your energy on more productive things, why don't ya? Love, Alison

Fresno Bob

9 dollars for a sit down dinner or take out meal is nothing. What year were you born? 1935? yes houses no longer cost $18,000 and good dinners don't cost $1.50. I suggest you find a better job and pay off your credit card bills and eat at Jack and the box instead. Their 99 cent tacos is more in your price range... Oooops forgot they don't make tofu tacos , sorry your out of luck!

kss

oh, and i agree - madam mams=overrated. blech. at least on the vegetarian dishes.

also, on thai passion during the day - to go, they're great, very fast, great. eating in, consistently crappy service over the last few months - that pony-tailed waiter with the long pinky fingernail always manages to f something up. he should be fired.

kss

thai tara = delicious, wonderful, omigood

they do curry quite well

and they're nice

the only complaint - sometimes it can take a while, so it isn't always the best place to go if you are on an hour break from lunch. perfect for dinner or a non-workday lunch.

yum yum yum

yum

yum

oooooh

yum

personwholikesthai

I hadn't noticed the prices because I was so happy to have a Thai restaurant close by. I think they're reasonably priced for dinner as long as you don't get one of the overpriced specialties. You ought to try Thai Tara. They're excellent although pricier than Titaya's (by just a bit and the food is better). I think Madam Mamam's is overhyped and frankly not very good.

titayasfan

I heart Titaya's. Everything I've tried is good. Best Pad Thai I've had in town. I guess I didn't notice the higher prices because it was so good... plus the location is very convenient for me. Overall a better experience than Thai Kitchen- parking, service, etc. Those people are nice. They do need to work on the atmosphere, but I always get takeout so it doesn't matter.