Thanh Thao specializes in Thai-Vietnamese food done fast. And I mean fast. Their service is so impeccable you’ll feel bad for not ordering quicker. Their extensive menu is broken into sections for appetizers, salads, soups, seafood, chicken, beef, and vegetarian, where I’ve spent most of my time on all of my visits there.

The entree prices are quite reasonable- under $9 for most of the vegetarian/vegan ones and under $12 for the others. The red curry packs a punch, so stick to the yellow if spicey isn’t your thing. Many of their vegan offerings include a “mock” meat made from wheat gluten and spiced heavily but not unpleasantly. Some dishes, such as the mock lemon grass, feature wonderful flavor and texture but too few vegetables. If the description doesn’t list the veggies, they won’t be found in the dish.

After the food arrives at record speed, the large portions will soon fill the heartiest appetites, leaving yummy leftovers for another day.

As for the other things, the salads and tofu lemon-grass soup are huge and perfect for sharing with 2-3 people, but don’t expect the soup to have much more than tofu and mushrooms.

The restaurant is small and gets quite busy on weekend evenings, necessitating reservations. The outstanding service does turn over tables fast, leaving those in the tiny waiting area happy and hopeful.

For the price, service, and portions, it’s hard to beat the little place on SE 40th and Hawthorne.