Vieng Thai - Review - Spring Branch - Houston - The Infatuation

"Every now and then a spot surprises you. Vieng Thai in Spring Branch might look a little worn on the outside, but kind of like when a $100 bill falls out of the crumpled discount dollar store card your family-friend-uncle gave you for a birthday, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Here that means friendly, no-nonsense service, and vibrant and expertly seasoned Thai food. Dishes like crispy skin sour sausage, sauteed eggplant that somehow still glows purple despite bathing in spicy sauce, and soft and charred pad see ew drunken noodles. And if a dinner and a show is more your vibe, one side of the restaurant sports a giant wall mirror so you can watch yourself (or other people) enjoy bowls of spicy noodles and rice. Just don’t make it weird. Walk in most nights for a quick dinner packed with flavor. photo credit: Liz Silva photo credit: Liz Silva Food Rundown Pad See Ew Drunken noodles here are about balance, because even though this is a noodle dish, it comes with equal parts sauteed chicken or pork and vibrant green chinese broccoli. We appreciate the mild spice, but ask for a side of chili powder for an extra kick. photo credit: Liz Silva Basil Fried Rice Not much satisfies like a plate of hot, crispy, spicy rice, especially when it comes stuffed with giant basil leaves and little pops of soft cherry tomatoes. photo credit: Liz Silva Spicy Eggplant We are not sure what kind of chemical alchemy Vieng Thai performs to keep this eggplant beautifully purple but also with a soft texture and ample spice. Plus, this dish contains enough garlic to meet some kind of annual minimum intake. photo credit: Liz Silva" - Chelsea Thomas