I've now dined at Madam Mam's South Austin location three times and can say with confidence that their food is consistently good and, in some cases, excellent.
The exterior doesn't promise much. It's a pink, nondescript building (other than the color) right next to the freeway. Walk inside, though, and be surprised. The interior is clean and cleverly decorated, with paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, the obligatory Buddhas and Thai knickknacks here and there, as well as a well-kept aquarium. The floor is polished and stained concrete, I think, and the tables are a dark and glossy wood.
On my first visit, my companion and I both had curries. She ordered the red curry with chicken, while I had a green curry with tofu. I don't remember the exact names for the menu, (sorry, too much time has passed) but Thai curry is Thai curry. Mine was smooth and flavorful, with plenty of lemongrass to peak through the curry spices, while my lovely companion's red curry was loaded with black pepper and entirely and unpleasantly overpowering. Since I dislike black pepper anyway, others may find the red curry pleasant. Neither of us cared for it, though.
On my second visit I ordered the Pad Thai. It's the dish most people think of when they think of Thai food, and it's probably the most-ordered dish at any Thai restaurant, so it serves as a pretty good barometer of overall quality and execution. Madam Mam's nailed it. Their Pad Thai is flavorful without being too sweet, slightly moist without being soggy, with a slight smoky taste. I gorged myself on it. It was wonderful.
My lovely companion had the Tom Yum, a hot and sour soup. It was delicious. The flavors of lime, lemon grass, and chilis were robust and refreshing.
On our third visit, I ordered the Pad Macaroni (which is made with penne pasta, oddly enough). It's as strange as it sounds, but I loved it. It consists of the above-mentioned penne pasta with diced tomatoes, red onions, carrots and peas all bathed in a Thai tomato sauce. The taste is mild but intriguing, with tart and sweet being the main notes. It reminded me of an outdoor barbecue side dish, for some reason.
She had the Tom Kha, a variation of Tom Yum in which coconut milk is added. It was almost delicious, with a silky broth, but the salty and sour flavors were a bit overpowering.
I do have one large bone to pick with Madam Mam's though. The service is friendly, but it seems nobody ever told them that it's rude to bring out one dish at a time. They've done this all three times. The time between my dish being served and hers ranged upwards to almost ten minutes. Very awkward.
The menu is large and the dishes reasonably priced, with most priced between $8 to $10. Be careful of the “ lunch specials” menu, though, as its entrees are actually more expensive than their regular menu counterparts (pretty sneaky, Ms. Mam). You may browse the menus at their website here.
I vouch only for the South Austin location, which is located here:
4514 West Gate Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 899-8525
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