The kitchen of Thai e Vai is located on a quiet alleyway in the Vomero neighborhood of Naples, Italy. Diners order their food at the kitchen window and can take it away or enjoy their meal in a comfortable dining room across the alleyway. Online ordering and delivery also are offered. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Nestled on an unassuming alley-like street, just yards from one of the noisiest and busiest thoroughfares in Naples’ Vomero neighborhood, it may be easy to miss Thai e Vai.
Don’t make that mistake.
Instead, venture off the path for the “street food”-inspired eatery’s curated menu of Thai dishes that are a worthy alternative to Naples’ mainstays of pizza and pasta.
Diners can order online for delivery or pickup, or at the kitchen window for takeout. Food also can be eaten in a self-service dining room across the way from Thai e Vai’s kitchen.
Thai e Vai in Naples, Italy, offers a curated menu of appetizers, such as chicken satay, middle left, and main dishes, including red curry and pad thai. First envisioned as “street eats” available for takeout, the restaurant now offers a separate dining area across the way from its kitchen. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
On a recent Monday evening, I was disappointed — but not surprised — to see just two savory vegetarian/vegan options on the restaurant’s small menu.
Most Naples restaurants offer few dishes suitable for vegetarians, and even fewer for vegans. In my experience, substitutions aren’t usually allowed.
But when asked, the chef at Thai e Vai was happy to substitute tofu for meat or shellfish in many of the restaurant’s noodle, rice and curry dishes. (However, vegetarians and vegans should note that some menu items include oyster sauce.)
With that knowledge, I chose Thai fried rolls for an appetizer. My dining companion, a cheerful meat eater, opted for chicken satay.
We also ordered red curry and vegetables with rice, substituting meat for tofu, and vegetable pad thai, the only vegetarian main dish listed on the menu.
After ordering and receiving a pager to notify us when our meal was ready, we headed for the restaurant’s dining room across the street.
The dining room at Thai e Vai is decorated in a brightly-colored Asian motif. Dining is self-service with food served in environmentally-friendly paper containers with wooden utensils. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The dining room at Thai e Vai is situated across the way from the restaurant's kitchen where diners order their meal and are given a pager that will notify them when their food is ready. Dishes are served in paper cartons and bowls that make for easy storage of leftovers. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The dining area is a recent addition to the restaurant, which previously had focused on offering fresh, tasty Thai cuisine for eating at home or elsewhere.
In addition to tables and counter seating, the area includes a small selection of rice noodles, curry sauces and other Asian items that can be purchased.
Soon after gathering wooden forks, spoons and chopsticks, our pager buzzed.
My dining companion retrieved a tray loaded with appetizers and entrees in paper cartons and bowls.
The fried rolls arrived piping hot with a side of sweet chili sauce for dipping. I found the crisp crunch and combination of rice noodles, carrots and onion satisfying.
The chicken satay was marinated in yellow curry, coconut milk and soy sauce, and came with peanut sauce for dipping. My dining companion said the breast meat was tender and flavorful.
We next tucked into the red curry that included bite-size chunks of tofu and thinly sliced red peppers, bamboo and basil. The creamy sauce was flavorful with just the right amount of heat balanced by an ample portion of rice.
Thai e Vai in the Vomero neighborhood of Naples, Italy, offers a curated menu of Thai dishes with delivery and eat-in options. The menu has limited vegetarian options, but the staff gladly will substitute tofu or other ingredients for meat, such as in this red curry dish. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Pad thai is one of the few vegetarian dishes on the menu at Thai e Vai, but the restaurant’s staff will gladly substitute tofu or other ingredients for meat or shellfish in curry, noodle and rice dishes. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
For me, it was a standout, and I would order it again.
But the pad thai didn’t pass muster. The generous portion of tofu, noodles, carrots, broccoli and bean sprouts lacked the umami flavor punch characteristic of the dish and needed more sauce.
Still, the vegetables were crisp, and the chopped peanuts and lime wedge complemented the entree.
We didn’t have room for dessert, but Thai e Vai offers banana in coconut milk with sugar and a sesame topping that looked worthy of a try. Fresh fruit also is available.
With limited Thai options in Naples, Thai e Vai does a fine job of scratching that itch for fast, tasty Asian food, whether dining in or at home. I’ll be back.
Thai e Vai
Address: Viale Privato Albino Albini 13, Naples, Italy. Thai e Vai also has another location in Naples’ historical district at Via Duomo 195, open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.
Hours: 7:30-11 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 7:30-11:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday
Prices: 6-8 euros, appetizers; 11-12.50 euros for noodle, rice, curry and meat dishes; 1.50-3.50 euros for water, soft drinks and juices; and 5 euros for Thai beer.
Information: +39 081 1820 7339, www.thaievai.com
