I went here because it was raining and I didn't want to walk very far from my hotel. VTK turned out to be pretty good. The food is good, the design is thoughtful and interesting and the clientle very mixed. I ate at the bar and the bartender was a little overwhelmed with preparing drinks, take out orders and dealing with the typicall bartender problems (Brits who can't decide what to drink). But he handed out spiced almonds to make up for the wait (yum!) Try the shrimp & scallops in citrus curry.

We had lunch at VTK last week, and I'd strongly recommend it. Two of us had the prix fixe-style option, which charges a set price per person for a starter, a set number of entrees, and a dessert. If you don't select the most expensive options (there are modest surcharges for some dishes, for instance), lunch is around $15, not including beverage, tax and tip. I'd describe the cuisine as Thai fusion rather than traditional Thai, but we liked everything we ordered--particularly the crispy noodles with beef. The family-style servings were more than ample for two, and judging from the diners nearby, the individual servings are also very generous. The dessert concept at lunch is great fun: mini-servings for between $1 and $1.50 each. For a buck, you can get an outrageously good mango-passion fruit souffle or a tiny creme brulee, perfectly prepared and presented. (At these prices, we added desserts until we'd tasted pretty much every one on the menu--and it cost less per person than an average dessert offering elsewhere). VTK is easy to find, with an attractive ambience, excellent service, and very good food at very reasonable prices. We'll definitely go again!

We stumbled upon Vong's Thai Kitchen late on a Friday night and had a wonderful meal. The 30 minute wait turned out to be only about 10, which was good because the bar area where you can wait is tiny. The combination of colors on the walls, dark lighting, shutter, and plants everywhere gives a sense of intimacy without being overly romantic. People dining at Vong's looked to be mostly 30 and 40 something River North dwellers; no kids and not touristy at all. The servers were nice, the restaurant pleasantly crowded (all tables full, but no feeling of being cramped), and the food was wonderful. We tried shrimp ravioli, peking duck rolls, red curry chicken and a beef satay dish. Everything was great, very well spiced with beautiful presentation. The drinks were especially fun - lots of 'Thai' takes on classic drinks. We'll go back...

Great dining experience! We arrived 30 minutes prior to our reservation and were accomodated in what we thought were the best seats in the house (semi-circle alcove near the kitchen door, under a palm). Service was "teamed", prompt and attentive. Food was perfect in that the flavor and presentation were as appealing to the palette as the eye. Subdued lighting and decor set the key, although the backround music was of poor acoustic quality and of questionable taste (a tad too punky and hip-hop) for a Asian/fusion cuisine. A clear menu of subdued World Music would have been perfect here. Be careful of the Mai-tinis...very potent! Vong's is an honest value..no suprises, just great dining.