Why is this Thai restaurant in Vienna called “Pumpui”? It means “chubby” — that’s not what you will become after eating Khao Soy, Pad Krapao, or Curry. “Pumpui” is what your Thai friends will call you (no matter how skinny you are) after gaining one kilogram.

A common greeting in Thailand is “Have you eaten yet?” or the remark “You’re fat!” while at the same time encouraging the counterpart to eat  – more.

You might’ve figured out, food is a major part of this culture. So it is a must for any restaurant that claims to be authentic, to transfer this message. An original Thai experience should be a mirror of what a visitor would get in the kingdom of smiles.

I’ve lived in Thailand for a year and travel back and forth ever since. One thing I could not get anywhere outside of the Southeast Asian country was the locally brewed beer Leo, which back in the days happened to be my favorite. Yet they seem to have changed their export strategy. I did spot it last Summer at the only Thai shop in Vienna, and also here in Pumpui’s fridge. Of course, we had to have it.

Oh yes, about the place: Expect to eat tasty authentic meals. The interior is suggestive of street food feel, hence the container-like kitchen front and the ceramic dishes that counterfeit paper plates. And as a (frequent) visitor of Thailand, you surely will recognize, the plastic baskets for sauces and tissues on each table.