[Houston] Vieng Thai

[jscarbor]

I don't know about best restaurant but I have been blown away when I dine there. And I love the hot Laarb.

http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2005-09...ining/cafe.html

Edited September 1, 2005 by jscarbor (log)

[Kerr.]

I don't know about best restaurant but I have been blown away when I dine there. And I love the hot Laarb.

http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2005-09...ining/cafe.html

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I don't know about your advice, but I do know he reads the internet posts. He's referenced them in prior articles, plus I met him once and he admitted that he's a regular reader. He told me that he never posts, not even in an assumed name.

[jscarbor]

He'll have to forgive me for incinuating that he needs me for guidance.

Kerr, when you moving over here to this board full time? Its much better than the others.

[Richard Kilgore]

Robb is a member of the eGullet Society, just like many other fine writers, and he has contributed here in many ways.

eG Q&A: Tex-Mex with Robb Walsh

eG Roundtable with Robb Walsh

[Kerr.]

He'll have to forgive me for incinuating that he needs me for guidance.

Kerr, when you moving over here to this board full time? Its much better than the others.

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I read this site and others all the time. Don't always post here however....I like to spread the wealth!

[FoodMan]

I have been meaning to go to Vieng Thai ever since I read the Walsh review. Since it is really out of my way I finally managed to head there with a friend for lunch today. I am so glad I did! This has to be the best recommendation Walsh (and Jason) ever gave out.

We had the Pappaya salad, E-sarn sausage, Mussaman Curry and the stir fried pork belly with basil and beans. When the food came out we were under the impression that some of it will be leftovers for tonight's dinner. Instead everything was promptly devoured. The pork belly was amazing and as "lean" as pork belly gets with a wonderful crispy/chewy texture and a very exotic flavor. The Mussaman was not your typical goopy thick cloggy curry that tastes like peanut butter. It was more saucy with a good peanut flavor along with all the herbs and spices that go into a mussaman. I saved a portion of the salad till the end becuase it was so tart and refreshing. I am no thai food expert, but Vieng Thai IMO has the best in town.

The menu at vieng is quiet lengthy compared with your typicall Thai joint with the four or five familiar dishes. Next time I really want to try the Coconut chicken soup and the larb.

[jscarbor]

I can't wait to get back and try the pork belly basil dish. And IMO the massaman is the best around, its smooth as silk. Soups are also very good here.

John Scarborough

I have been meaning to go to Vieng Thai ever since I read the Walsh review. Since it is really out of my way I finally managed to head there with a friend for lunch today. I am so glad I did! This has to be the best recommendation Walsh (and Jason) ever gave out.

We had the Pappaya salad, E-sarn sausage, Mussaman Curry and the stir fried pork belly with basil and beans. When the food came out we were under the impression that some of it will be leftovers for tonight's dinner. Instead everything was promptly devoured. The pork belly was amazing and as "lean" as pork belly gets with a wonderful crispy/chewy texture and a very exotic flavor. The Mussaman was not your typical goopy thick cloggy curry that tastes like peanut butter. It was more saucy with a good peanut flavor along with all the herbs and spices that go into a mussaman. I saved a portion of the salad till the end becuase it was so tart and refreshing. I am no thai food expert, but Vieng Thai IMO has the best in town.

The menu at vieng is quiet lengthy compared with your typicall Thai joint with the four or five familiar dishes. Next time I really want to try the Coconut chicken soup and the larb.

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[jscarbor]

I went back yesterday to Vieng Thai and wasn't able to find a pork belly dish? I did get the garlic pork dish which was tasty but not prok belly. IMO there isn't enough pork belly, we need more pork belly in all restaurants!

I also gave the sar tor a try and have to say I'm not a fan of sar tor. Sar tor is a bean with big almost lima bean looking pods. They have a pretty bad odor that also translates in the taste. FWIW I can eat durian pretty easy so its not that I can't take it. Still, I think it is worth trying just so you can see if you had the same thoughts on the dish as i did. Massaman was excellent as was the laarb.

[FoodMan]

I went back yesterday to Vieng Thai and wasn't able to find a pork belly dish? I did get the garlic pork dish which was tasty but not prok belly. IMO there isn't enough pork belly, we need more pork belly in all restaurants!

I also gave the sar tor a try and have to say I'm not a fan of sar tor. Sar tor is a bean with big almost lima bean looking pods. They have a pretty bad odor that also translates in the taste. FWIW I can eat durian pretty easy so its not that I can't take it. Still, I think it is worth trying just so you can see if you had the same thoughts on the dish as i did. Massaman was excellent as was the laarb.

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The prok belly with basil and beans is on the menu, it is just not very well described. It is the first dish on maybe the third or fifth page. I found it by looking for it's Thai name (from the Walsh article) pad ga pow although I think it is spelled differently. The dish can be served with chicken, beef or "crispy pork". You want the "crispy pork" version . the word pork belly is nowhere on the menu.

[jscarbor]

Shoot! The waitress wasn't a whole lot of help. I'll look next time. Im dying to try it.