“ When a restaurant serves Boat Noodles, a Thai food lover should take note. Why? There are several reasons. First, making Boat Noodles is a project. Putting it on the menu is a commitment. Second, it's not the kind of dish that has mass appeal in the US. Pork blood is its most important ingredient, FFS! So if it is in constant rotation on the menu, it's a sign that the restaurant isn't into the "dumbing down" thing. And third...if you ask Thai people what's their favorite dish, many will say "Boat Noodles." So this is a dish that you and I should WANT to eat. Little Thailand serves Boat Noodles. 'Nuff said! What are Boat Noodles? Sounds like a nautical dish full of seafood. It's not. Let me quote the description on Little Thailand's menu: "A classic Thai style rice noodle dish packed with sliced beef, meat balls, pork blood and cilantro in a dark soy sauce pork broth served with bean sprouts, basil leaves and crispy pork rinds on the side." In short, it's noodles...served in an intensely flavorful broth...enriched with pork blood. But don't let pork blood scare you. You'd never know that it's in there, but you would know if it wasn't--if you catch my drift. Pork blood is the X-factor that elevates the dish to next level. Little Thailand's Boat Noodles are fabulous. The broth is an explosion of tart, spicy, rich (hello pork blood!), umami flavors firing at your tongue from every conceivable direction. They give you a choice of proteins. I chose pork, and the quantity was quite generous. They give you a choice of spiciness. There are four level of spiciness, ranging from mild to "Thai Spicy." I opted for level 3 (aka, "Spicy"), and it had enough kick to make my nose run...but not so much that I was convulsing with flop sweats. "Spicy" was nicey. And I ate every single noodle, every slice of pork, every bean sprout, every leaf of basil, and drank every drop of that glorious broth. It took all the discipline I could muster not to tongue-bathe the interior of the bowl. Suffice it to say, I loved Loved LOVED it. The building itself is clean, intimate, and spare. It's a small, simple dining room that (to me, at least) felt rustic in a Wisconsin supper club kind of way. The facade is hard to miss, with its red and gold pagoda motif. Little Thailand is located south of Austin. It's a bit out in the boonies, yet is a quick, easy, uncongested 20 minute drive from east Austin. And it has its own parking lot. Yay! I consider its quasi-remote location a plus, because there are few things I dislike more than city congestion and parking. Service was friendly, efficient, and professional. Prices are reasonable. This was my first trip to Little Thailand, and I intend to go back again and again to eat my way through its menu. And, of course, to have more Boat Noodles. A lot more Boat Noodles. Great food, great service, relaxed location. Little Thailand is a jewel and a keeper. ”