Quite Njoyable

Perhaps the reason the service is so friendly is that the restaurant itself is a close-knit Thai family: Belle, who runs the front of the house; her daughter, Awoon, who waits tables; Belle's brother, Patrick, who makes the food — all are present every day, with big smiles waiting for each customer.
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That not-quite-spicy-enough larb was the only thing that let me down recently at an otherwise great lunch, which is the most inexpensive time to visit what's already a pretty inexpensive restaurant. Lunch specials are between $6.95 and $7.95 and — as with any good Thai place — come with spring rolls and soup. In this case, the soup is a wonderfully tangy-and-sour example of tom yum with vibrant punches of galangal and ginger. The broth is thick with pert oyster mushrooms, pieces of chicken and lime leaves that infuse a bright citrus flavor into the whole thing.

Troy Fields

Made with care and fresh ingredients: pad prik king.

Location Info

Map

Njoy Thai Restaurant

212 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77006

Category: Restaurant > Thai

Region: Montrose

Photos

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Nidda Thai Cuisine

1226 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006

Category: Restaurant > Thai

Region: Montrose

Photos

Khun Kay Thai Cafe

1209 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77019

Category: Restaurant > Thai

Region: River Oaks

Photos

Thai Sticks

4319 Montrose
Houston, TX 77006

Category: Restaurant > Thai

Region: Montrose

Photos

Details

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Tod mun pla: $6.95
Larb: $9.95
Som tum: $7.95
Pad thai: $10.95
Pad kee mao: $11.95
Pad prik king (lunch): $6.95
Massamun curry (lunch): $7.95
Thai sweet rice: $6.95

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SLIDESHOW: Njoy Thai: Quite Enjoyable
BLOG POST: Enjoying Comfort Food, Thai-Style, at Njoy Thai

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More About

• Montrose
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• Houston (Texas)
• Thai Food and Cooking
• Food and Cooking

Massamun curry comes in a large, deep bowl, brimming with the velvety curry and its peanut-laced sweetness that's almost too rich to eat without large spoonfuls of jasmine rice. And a beautiful dish of pad prik king is festively adorned with dark green and ruby-red bell peppers amid slices of green beans and gently sautéed onions.

The ground chicken in the pad prik king is the same as you'll find in the larb but seasoned far more aggressively, the striking tell-tale notes of red curry throughout: musky cumin, punchy galangal and lemongrass, briny shrimp paste, sharp garlic and shallots. I think — although I'm not certain — that Njoy may make their curries from scratch, too, because I always catch flavors I wouldn't expect in them. In the case of the red curry, it's a flowering hint of anise or fennel that adds a final deft note to the dish.

And although I hadn't saved room in previous visits for dessert, I was glad that lunchtime visit that I did: Sticky rice was topped with thickened coconut milk, barely sugary, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. And draped on top were a few fat slices of caramel-sweet custard, bringing just the right lift to the dessert without making it overly saccharine — my ideal way to end a meal. Also ideal: the to-go boxes that Francisco had carefully packed for me, the rest of the smooth, nutty massamun curry and vegetable-laden pad prik king destined to make yet another comforting meal at home.

katharine.shilcutt@houstonpress.com