Saturday, October 4, 2008

Titaya's Thai Cuisine

In the last two months, I've become a vegetarian, which has its difficulties and meant some serious sacrifice when I've visited my favorite restaurants around town.

However, one good thing about Southeast Asian cuisine is that there are a lot of vegetarian options, and my experience at Titaya's, my favorite Thai restaurant in Austin, has not suffered because meat is no longer an option.

My favorite dish there is the pineapple fried rice, and it's superb with chicken. It's filled with bell peppers, cashews, cilantro, and the ever-crucial pineapple. Without chicken, it's still a lovely hodge-podge of savory and sweet.

I've also tried the pad thai and green curry with tofu, and both are good sans-meat. Some dishes are better with tofu substitutions than others (I wouldn't order the fried rice with tofu), but overall, Titaya's food has never disappointed me.

It has a quiet, relaxing atmosphere, the walls in earthy reds and yellows, large windows bring natural light, and elephant decor abounds. The servers are all friendly and attentive. I've often gone there in large groups, and the wait staff are always accommodating and successfully manage large tables.

The Basics:
Location: 5501 N. Lamar Blvd., #C101, near Half Price Books
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 12 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Accepts: All major credit cards
Rating: 4 stars
Bottom Line: I can think of nothing negative to say. Try the pineapple fried rice.

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