Noi Owens, Nart Kemaleelakul and Mam Hubbard were colleagues at a Thai restaurant in downtown Austin before opening their own restaurant in 2010 and expanding to Buda earlier this year.

Their second restaurant, IM Thai Cuisine, opened on Buda's Main Street in February.

Some may think the name of the restaurant represents someone's initials or perhaps the contraction of "I" and "am," but "im" is actually a Thai word meaning full or satisfied, Owens said.

They said what drove them to open their restaurant was a passion for sharing their culture. They hoped to serve authentic Thai fare that satisfied their customers.

"That's what we have here at IM," Owens said. "We like to please our guests like in Thai culture."

So far the co-owners said they are faring well in that department. Owens said they receive many returning customers who compliment the food as being authentic and fresh. The restaurant had a Yelp rating of 4.5 as of late July, as many of the reviews have given IM Thai Cuisine a full five stars.

At lunchtime the restaurant serves unlimited soup and salad, which is free with the purchase of an entree in both the Austin and Buda locations. The co-owners believe this sets them apart from other Thai restaurants in the area.

The 1,235-square-foot Buda restaurant employs six workers, the co-owners said. The entrees range in price from $8.95 to $14.95.

Among the most popular dishes are the pad kee mao, pad thai, pad prik khing and the restaurant's assortment of curries.

The pad kee mao is a stir-fried rice noodle dish complemented with Thai chili, mushrooms, fresh basil, tomatoes, onions and bell peppers, along with the customer's choice of meat.

The pad prik khing features a choice of meat, stir-fried green beans, lime leaves and bell peppers coated in red chili sauce.

The co-owners said that, apart from Buda, most of their customers come from Wimberley, Kyle and Austin's Onion Creek area.

"We are new in Buda, so we have to get to know [the customers]," Owens said.

The co-owners said they do not expect to expand anytime soon, as they are focusing on their two locations, the other being on Brodie Lane in Austin. If anything, they may add items to the menu, they said, but they are still learning about their new clientele.

One thing that will not change, however, is the flavor of the food, Owens said. She said that although she is open to catering to the customers' dietary needs and preferences, she does not want to water down the cooking.

"We try to keep our style real Thai," Owens said. "We want to keep our concept."

Thai 101: Basic words and phrases

Thai is the official language of Thailand. It is spoken by the nation's 60 million people. A tonal language, Thai has five different tones: mid, low and high as well as rising and falling tones. Different words take on different meanings based on what tone is being used.

  • Yes: Chai
  • No: Mai
  • Hello (man): Sa-wut-dee krup
  • Hello (woman): Sa-wut-dee kah

The wai gesture

When greeting someone, it is customary to bow one's head and put one's hands together close to the face, as if to pray. Generally, if one is younger or of lower social status, he or she should initiate the wai.

  • 1671 N. Main St., Ste. C, Buda
  • 512-312-4013
  • www.imthaicuisine.com
  • Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 4:30–9 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 4:30–9:30 p.m.