While Vieng Thai may not look like much from the outside, the menu and the flavors inside tell a different story.

The long-time Spring Branch District eatery has been described as:

“Unpretentious yet exhilarating.”

“No nonsense.”

“Vibrant and expertly seasoned.”

Former Houston Chronicle food critic Alison Cook wrote two decades ago in 2005: “Vieng Thai is as close to eating in Thailand as I have come in Houston. From its wild-and-woolly home-style dishes to its quirky décor, it feels like dining in a section of Bangkok seldom frequented by tourists.”

Bangkok seems a bit far, so how about venturing to a modest strip center off Long Point Road? Twenty years after Cook’s visit, Vieng Thai still offers that same authentic experience.

Vieng Thai originally started as a grocery store. Today, as it has been for decades, it’s a BYOB restaurant where the prices are right and the dishes are even better.

Eater included it in its list of the “20 Essential Thai Restaurants in Houston,” and celebrity Chef Chris Shepherd has featured it on “Eat Like a Local.” There have been numerous other accolades.

If it’s your first time visiting, you can expect beloved classics like Pad Thai and various curries alongside more adventurous options that deliver a true taste of Thailand.

On my recent lunch visit, I decided to stray from my usual Green Curry — my reliable go-to — and opted for the Panang Curry instead. It was delicious, but the allure of my favorite dish couldn’t be ignored, leading to a perfect dinner plan with a to-go order of Green Curry for later.

Signature dishes include tantalizing drunken noodles, the distinctive e-sarn sausage (fermented pork sausage) and the wild green papaya salad.

Foodies can’t seem to get enough of Vieng Thai but yet it somehow manages to remain a Spring Branch secret.

I recently caught up with a friend who used to live nearby but now calls Austin home. When I asked her about her favorite dishes from Vieng Thai, she reminisced: “Honestly, it was all good.”

That suggests every visit can yield a different, yet equally satisfying, experience. So, whether it’s your first time or 19th time, it’s time to go back to Vieng Thai in the Spring Branch Management District.

See you there. I’ll be the one ordering Green Curry to go — again.

Vieng Thai
6929 Long Point Rd.
https://viengthairestaurant.com/

— Dorothy Puch Lillig