Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

There are so many Thai restaurants in New York, that I was a bit skeptical when I received an invitation from Kao Srisuphasiri, one of the owners of Larb Ubol, a Thai restaurant located in the bottom part of Hell's Kitchen. Even there, that restaurant is surrounded by other ones serving Thai food. I soon understood why Larb Ubol is original. 

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Well, like many Thai places, you do not go there for the decor and they admit that they prefer putting the money on the food as this is the reason why customers come back. Entering in the restaurant, you immediately notice the big empty space at the entrance: at this point, they are not really sure what to put there, whether a plant, fountain or tables. For the moment, it is nice because it does not feel too crowded. 

dining room at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

The decor is very simplistic: 

banquettes and chair backs are covered with Thailand’s traditional checkered pha khao ma cloth used to fashion everything from sarongs to hammocks

. On the ceiling and walls, some small umbrellas coming from Thailand:

umbrellas at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

So, it was clear that we were there for the food, and we made sure we tried several dishes prepared by Chef Ratchanee Sumpatboon, who worked for 20 years in New York City, in well known restaurants, such as Zabb Elee. Her menu is Isan cuisine, from the North East of Thailand, characterized by its heat, chili peppers being prominent, as well as sticky rice, used as we would bread.

sticky rice at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Looking at the menu, I immediately noticed the absence of the massaman or penang curry I am used to seeing in Thai restaurants, the only well known dishes being Pad See ew or Pad Thai. I guess that is where Larb Ubol is different. So, it was time to check it out!

To start our feast, we ordered a Thai beer (Singha):

singha beer at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

As well as Thai iced tea that was perfect to cool me from the heat of the dishes.

Thai iced tea at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Thai iced tea at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

To start, we ordered a couple of appetizers. First was the Larb, a spicy ground meat salad that gave its name to the restaurant (Ubol comes from the city of Ubon Ratchathani where the Chef grew up).

Nuer Larb at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Nuer Larb at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

We had the following choices for the ground meat: chicken, pork, beef, veggie duck...We went for beef (

Nuer Larb

). It was good, but spicy and I loved mixing the spicy meat with the refreshing cucumber or mint leaves. I liked it so much that I kept going at it.

Then, I tried the grilled chicken liver skewer (

Tub Yang

), served with a tamarind dipping sauce:

Tub Yang at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

If like me, you like chicken liver, this dish is for you. I admit that it was a bit dry, but the tamarind sauce did its magic, making it a very enjoyable appetizer.

The next dish was Peek Kai Tod or marinated chicken wings, served with a sweet chili sauce:

Peek Kai Tod at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I thought it would be spicy, but it was not the case at all: the sauce was on the sweet side and was perfect with the moist chicken wings. Good dish for bird lovers.

Then, we had the Pukk Boong Fai Dang or sautéed morning glory with fresh chili:

Pukk Boong Fai Dang at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I do not think I ever had morning glory before. It looks like this:

morning glory at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I enjoyed the dish, but should have ordered it with crispy pork as I am not too much of a vegetarian. The morning glory tasted a bit like spinach, maybe a bit less bitter.

Then was the Chicken Pad Ped:

Chicken Pad Ped at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

It is one of their Chef's special, composed of chicken, Thai eggplant, bell pepper, basil, wild ginger and drenched in a spicy curry paste. I should add the large quantity of peppercorn...

Chicken Pad Ped at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

After one bite, my mouth was literally on fire and I was glad I had the sticky rice and Thai iced tea to cool down!

I also ate some Pad See Ew that helped against the heat:

Pad See Ew at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

We went for the tofu version that was very good.

Last was dessert: we ordered the fried ice cream.

Fried Ice Cream at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I always find fried ice cream to be an interesting dessert: who got this idea to fry ice cream? 

Fried Ice Cream at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

This was a very addictive dessert, the vanilla ice cream pairing well with its shell that was slightly crispy and deliciously sweet.

This was a very good dinner and I am glad I had the opportunity to try a different cuisine. Larb Ubol is definitely unique and stands out from the traditional Thai restaurants. Would I go back: certainly. But this time, I'll ask for non spicy dishes...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Larb Ubol

E-San Thai in Murray Hill, NYC, New York

We were recently invited to E-San Thai, a Thai restaurant located off the beaten path, in Murray Hill. This place opened in September 2012 by Chef Toi Kumdang who also owns a Thai restaurant in Brooklyn, Khao Sarn. From outside, the restaurant has nothing really distinctive, besides the bright yellow sign. At the entrance, first is the bar:

Then, on the right is the dining room, with its vaulted ceiling and warm colors.

There were not that many elements of the decor to remind you that you are in a Thai restaurant, except maybe the plastic lotus flower that was on every table:

Or the display on the right side of the bar:

We sat at one of the tables and

I started the lunch with a Thai Iced Tea, drink that I always order with Thai food.

I love the dark orange color with gradation of this drink. It was good and not too sweet.

Then the first appetizer was the vegetable spring rolls:

They were made of cabbage, carrots, celery and glass noodles, and served with a plum sauce. I found them delicious: they were crispy, not too greasy and there was the perfect amount of shell.

The second appetizer was the E-San sausage, that is a house specialty made with ground pork seasoned with Thai herbs.

It was good and tasty, the spices really coming through. I wish however that it was served with a kind of mustard or sauce to dip in.

The last appetizer was roti canai:

I love that dish that is kind of a fusion between Indian and Thai food. It is composed of a roti or paratha that was a bit thicker and less greasy than what I am used too. The bowl contained a dish made of a curry similar to a massaman, with potatoes, onions and chicken; it is the first time I got it with chicken as usually they propose it without meat. It was a delicious dish that I definitely recommend.

Then, we got Pad See Eew that are thick noodles, tofu, egg and broccoli, bathed in a black soy sauce.

Again another good dish: very tasty, I truly appreciated that it was not too salty.

The second entree was the Pineapple Na-Na, a crispy duck with a pineapple curry:

I was scared at first that this dish would be spicy, but it was perfect, having a little kick that  was well complemented by the sweetness of the sauce, as well as the pieces of pineapple. The duck was perfectly cooked and had a nice crunch.

It was served with white rice.


But what was the most spectacular was the sea bass that came after that:

It was a whole sea bass that was smothered with a sauce midly spicy and served with vegetables. The fish was perfectly cooked, moist and flaky, and the sauce was a bit sweet, with just the perfect kick. I never think about ordering fish, moreover a whole fish, in Thai restaurants, but this dish may have made me change my mind! If you go to E-San Thai, don't be freaked out by the mouth of the fish and enjoy it! I did!

Then, it was time to have dessert! The first one was the fried coconut ice cream that is one of their best sellers:

Fried ice cream is an interesting concept: the ice cream is first dipped in a batter and then fried. I can just tell you that I had to move fast with that one; not because the ice cream was melting, but because Jodi could not stop eating it!

That is true that it was delicious: the outside was a bit crunchy and the ice cream smooth, probably made with coconut milk. Another recommendation!

The second dessert was Thai donuts:

They were served with condensed milk and peanuts:

I liked them with or without the condensed milk...This is a very comforting dessert, a guilty pleasure that no one can resist, even after a full meal like the one we had!

With the desserts, I drank a Thai Iced Coffee that was a first for me:

It is like Thai Iced Tea except that the tea is replaced by coffee. I guess I will consider this drink the next time as I really liked it. It has a nice smokiness that I guess came from the coffee itself.

The lunch at E-San Thai was very good and made me want to discover more Thai cuisine. I often order "standard" dishes like Chicken curry Massaman, but there are so many other dishes to try. Of course my choices are also driven by the prix-fixe that restaurants propose, where unfortunately only these "standard" dishes are offered. I think it is a mistake, because there is so much to discover, and E-San Thai is the perfect spot for it.

Enjoy (I did)!


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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

CLOSED - Dinner at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Brooklyn, New York

Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

Last Saturday, we were invited for dinner at Glow a Thai restaurant and lounge located in Bay Ridge. There, our host and owner, Anthony Loupos and Chef Suwanna Amatmontri, who is from Thailand, proposed a tasting that went beyond regular Thai food. They pride on proposing street food and creative dishes, made with ingredients chosen and bought on a daily basis in local markets.

I was excited for sure because I love Thai cuisine and we were ready for a culinary experience! 

Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

So, as I mentioned, this is a restaurant and lounge. When you arrive, you face the pink lighted bar with its white stools, that definitely gives a modern and lounge-y feel to the place.

Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

Then, the main dining room, with its large painting of Buddha.

Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

And the exposed bricks, that give a warm feel to the place. In the back, there is a fish tank with lotus flowers on top, symbol of fortune in Buddhism.

Lotus flower at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

The last element of the decor that I liked was the rotating double fans on the ceiling, that added to the modern, but simple feel of the place.

rotating fan at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

As it is a lounge, it has a wide variety of cocktails, some of them being unique, like the Drunken Gummy Bear that I tried!

drunken gummy bear at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

Don't be mistaken: gummy bear does not only apply to the two pieces of candy used for decoration: there are gummy bears in the drink! The way they make it is using liquid nitrogen!

drunken gummy bear at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

They put liquid nitrogen in the glass on the right to chill it and in the glass on the left to crush the gummy bears that you can still see in the bottom. Then, they will mix it with vodka, lime juice and simple syrup (sugar syrup). Et voilà !

drunken gummy bear at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

It was good and definitely sweet, loaded with vodka! 

Thai iced tea at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

Jodi ordered a Thai iced tea that was delicious (the recipe is standard, but trust me: I had some bad ones in the past!). 

Thai iced tea at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

This was a very good Thai iced tea.

To finish with the drinks, before talking about what we ate, I tasted some Thai wine from Monsoon Valley, made with a blend of grapes.

Monsoon Valley wine at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

I admit that I had no idea that there is such thing as Thai wine, as it is rarely featured in wine menus. It was a pretty decent wine and Anthony explained that it is perfect when paired with spicy food as it will cut through the spiciness. 

Food wise, we were there for a treat! Anthony proposed to pick the dishes for us. We started off with the appetizers. Curry puffs for Jodi:

Curry puffs at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

This dish, that is street food, was made with chicken, potato, onions and yellow curry, served with a cucumber relish. This was a great appetizer and there was not too much chicken, so ok for Jodi to try it. The shell was made of puff pastry, that added a nice crispiness to the dish. The cucumber relish was perfect, as it added some freshness, pairing perfectly with the bolder flavor of the potato and curry filling.

Then, there was the Thai crab cake:

Thai crab cake at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

My previous experiences with crab cakes in Asian restaurant has not been that successful (greasy, lots of fillers), and I was a bit apprehensive when I saw the dish coming. It was a pretty decent crab cake in fact! A bit sweet and spicy, you could definitely taste the crab that I believe was made with the meat from the claw.

Thai crab cake at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

The sauce with it was a sweet chili sauce that was perfect with the crab cake.

Then, they served the entrees. For Jodi, massaman curry with tofu:

massaman curry with tofu at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

They propose it with chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, but more surprisingly also with squid, sole or tilapia! The other ingredients were carrots, onion, potato and peanuts. It was served with white rice:

white rice at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

Massaman curry is one of my favorite Thai dishes and this was really good! Not spicy, it was very flavorful and I loved the fact that the tofu was soaked in the delicious sauce.

On my side, I got Pad Grapow Moo Kai Dow or minced pork and basil served with a fried egg.

Pad Grapow Moo Kai Dow at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

This was a huge plate! It had lots of flavors and you could play with the different components, sometimes eating it with the egg white, sometimes with the runny yolk, and sometimes simply with the rice and pork. It was a bit spicy, but clearly, if it wasn't, it would not have been a successful dish. It is not that my mouth was on fire, but more the spiciness started to build up in the back of my throat; the Thai iced tea was perfect then to soothe it.

Then was time for dessert! I admit that I rarely eat dessert in Thai restaurant, maybe because of lack of knowledge of Thai desserts, or simply because the Thai restaurants I went to did not propose anything out of the ordinary. The first dessert was standard I would say: mango with sticky rice:

mango with sticky rice at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

This was fantastic: first of all, the mango was delicious and very tasty. Then, the sticky rice was generously bathed in coconut milk. This was a bit addictive.

The second dessert was off the menu: Thai iced tea ice cream.

Thai iced tea ice cream at Glow Thai restaurant and lounge in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York

They took the ingredients of Thai iced tea and made the ice cream with liquid nitrogen. The result was incredible! We could definitely taste the Thai iced tea and the ice cream was extraordinary creamy, the liquid nitrogen freezing it so fast that the ice cream crystals are very small, creating this wonderful texture. If you go there and they serve it, you definitely need to try!

No need to say that at the end of the meal we were stuffed! I have to say that I did not expect such a delicious meal and thought it would just be another Thai restaurant! I think what sets apart Glow from other Thai restaurants is the originality of the menu, where, on top of serving traditional dishes, they serve street food as well as creative dishes! And if you like to start with a cocktail, they go beyond just the martini!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Spice, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

I have to admit that I did not know what to expect from Spice, a restaurant chain, that serves Thai food. We went to their located close to Union Square.

For sure, this is not like your typical Thai restaurant: the atmosphere is more the one of a club than a restaurant, with very dimmed lights, eclectic decor and loud music.

After ordering a Thai Ice Tea that was very good, we ordered our food. I have to say that the waitress was annoying as she was trying to push us to order the special of the day, instead of the dishes we chose!

We started off with appetizers. The vegetable Spring rolls:

They were tasty but very, very greasy!

Then, I ordered the duck bun(s):

Jodi does not like duck so it was only for me. As the name of the dish was in singular form, I did not expect to see three of them! For $7, it is a good deal! The first bun was so so: the duck was a bit tough. However, the next two were divine with a more tender duck and a delicious hoasin sauce in the middle as well as the duck sauce all over the plate! A bit messy to eat, but fantastic!

Jodi ordered the Pad Thai:

These large noodles were delicious, although a bit salty. They were served with egg, scallions and bean curd.

On my side, I ordered the Chicken Massaman:

This is one of my favorite dishes and theirs was pretty good, although spicy (there was no chili next to the dish on the menu indicating it would be spicy). It was a nice quantity of it.

With it, came some white rice that was well presented.

Well, what can I say more? That was just white rice...Nothing special.

Although I liked the dinner, I did not really appreciate Spice: too loud and pushing too much on specials to have a nice evening with a love one or friends.

Spice
39 E 13th St
New York, NY 10003

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Isaan Thai Food at Zabb City in NYC, New York

We really found this Thai place, Called Zabb City, by coincidence as it is located in a street, in the East Village, where the only attraction would be Momofuku Milk Bar! It does not look like your typical Thai restaurant: with such a decor, I would easily see a Wine Bar there (would a Thai Wine Bar make any sense? Could be a trend!). Their menu offers Isaan dishes. I know: me too, I have no idea what it means...Isaan is  is the northeastern region of Thailand.Well, their menu proposes the usual dishes you would find in Thai cuisine, but I was desperately looking for the Chef's specials to see if they served frog legs...Yes, I mainly find these delicacies in Thai restaurants! Unfortunately they did not have it!

Of course, I got my usual Thai Iced Tea:

I love that drink: so refreshing with its kind of indescribable taste. When you think that you pay $3 for it, that is the price you would pay for a regular tea in a restaurant! $3 for hot water: no (except if the tea is not a basic one); for a Thai Iced Tea: definitely!

We started of the meal with spring rolls:

They were served with duck sauce and red chili flakes (it was not really spicy). The rolls were good, although I would have preferred less dough.

Jodi got the glass noodles or Pad Woonsen:

They we pretty good: the tofu was fried and was bit tasty and there were a lot of veggies (mushrooms, pepper, broccoli...).

I ordered my test dish for Thai restaurants: Chicken Massaman.

It was served with white rice. I liked it a lot: the sauce itself was divine and had a little kick that built up in the back of my mouth. The potatoes and onions were well cooked (soft) and cut in a way that it was not a nightmare to eat (no knife needed). No need to say that I finished my plate...

Zabb is a nice and quiet place that offers a good, traditional Thai with similar prices than most of the Thai restaurants in NYC. I surely prefer that place over Spice, located few blocks away...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Dinner at Ember Room in NYC, New York

When I want to try some food, I can be pretty persistent! Yes, this is third attempt to dine at Ember Room in Hell's Kitchen. The first time we went, the place was packed and the wait was 1 hour: Too bad, we were hungry and passed. The second time, we had a reservation for lunch but found the restaurant closed: I guess this time, they passed on us! So the third time, we had a reservation for dinner and, as we say, third is the charm!

Surprisingly, the restaurant was not as packed as before. They sat us in the room upstairs, that is more quiet in fact. I liked the decor with the dark wood, the weird ceiling decorations that looked like hearts, that made me think I was somewhere else!

The waiter greeted us and ask us if we ever came there. As we said no, he told us that the restaurant was owned by Chef Kittichai. Chef Kittichai! What you do not remember? He is the partner of Spot Dessert Bar, this fabulous dessert place on St Marks that serves spectacular desserts, mostly traditional with an Asian twist (check here my review of Spot Dessert Bar, but do not drool on your computer!).

One of the dishes I really wanted to try there was the Chocolate Ribs:

I know, it sounds weird and fewer attempts to try dishes where they mixed chocolate with meat were unsuccessful (for instance, the duck with chocolate sauce at China Grill). There, it was delicious: the chocolate was not overpowering and had a subtle, but definitely present taste. The ribs were fantastic: tender, they fell off the bones, so there was no need to eat with my hands (although I would have had a good excuse to lick my fingers...).

Jodi decided to go vegetarian and got the naked veggie burger:

A veggie burger is naked when there is no bun. The veggie patty was made with different kind of vegetables like peas and carrots and was smothered with the "Ember sauce" that tasted like a spicy BBQ sauce. It was served with a mixed salad, onion rings (very crispy) and tofu fries. I liked the veggie patty: very tasty with a bit of texture. However, the sauce was quite spicy and they should probably warn their customers so they can ask to have it on the side. I was not that thrilled about the tofu fries that were a bit bland. Jodi loved them though.

On my side, I ordered the Ember Room original Lobster Roll:

The lobster roll was pretty good: served with a salad and fries, it was made of celery, mango and chunks of lobster. The mango gave a refreshing taste to the dish and some sweetness, but I wished the mango were more ripe. I liked it, but it is far from being as good as the Red Hook Lobster Pound!

For dessert, we got the Lemon mille crepes cake:

This dessert was pretty good: light and not too sweet, it was made of layers of crepes with some lemon cream (more like a mousse in fact) in between each layer. It is definitely a dessert to recommend!

We had a delicious dinner at Ember Room and were glad that we gave it another chance! It is definitely a good address to know in Hell's Kitchen for an original meal!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cheap Lunch at V{IV} A Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

Usually, for a cheap delicious lunch, I am thinking about eating Thai or Chinese as most of the restaurants serving these types of cuisines offer lunch specials or lunch menus that are usually good deals. Viv is no exception, although, entering in the restaurant, you would think that you are in a fancier version of most of the Thai restaurants in NYC or even in a lounge! The decor is splendid with black everywhere: from the walls to the ceiling, to the granite tables. It is a great choice to make the colors of the food stick out!

So I went for the lunch menu that offered an appetizer and an entree for less than $8. What was interesting is that they proposed choices for the appetizers; usually, you only get a spring roll. At Viv, you could get:

Spring rolls:

Edamame:

Or Fried Calamari:

I ordered the fried calamari that were fantastic: not rubbery and not greasy, it was crispy and the sweet chili sauce with it made it scrumptious!

For the entree, I ordered my usual Chicken Curry Massaman:

There was a nice quantity of it and as you can see, they were generous with the avocado that was ripe. The sauce was divine and had just a bit of kick. The only negative was that the pieces of chicken were too big. Otherwise, it was a very tasty dish.

Viv is for sure a great place for a cheap lunch: definitely an address to keep in mind!

Enjoy (I did)!

Lunch menu at T Thai in Hoboken, NJ

T Thai is one of my favorite Thai restaurant in Hoboken, with Sri Thai. Not to mention Casual Thai that should probably be less casual on the cooking...I tried T Thai few times and have never been disappointed! Especially with their marinated half chicken with chili sauce that I really enjoy (so does the cat)!

This time, we decided to try their lunch menu. Not surprisingly, they offer a menu for less than $8 that features a veggie roll, a salad and an entree. To go with it, I had my usual Thai Iced Tea that is delicious at T Thai.

The salad and the roll came pretty quickly.

It was a straight forward salad with iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, served with a peanut sauce. Pretty standard. I was a bit disappointed with the roll: there was no sauce with it and too much wrap around it so I missed a bit the taste of the veggies.

The choice of entrees is pretty standard for a Thai restaurant: noodles, curry or fried rice.

Jodi decided to order the glass noodles with Tofu.

It was a nice presentation with vivid colors between the noodles and the vegetables. The glass noodles were delicious, perfectly cooked. However, the tofu was bland...

On my side, I ordered one of my favorite Thai dish: Chicken Curry Massaman.

It is a curry made with coconut milk, potatoes and peanuts. For $0.50, I got coconut rice. The Curry was pretty good. A bit thicker than usual but very tasty with a little spice building up in the back of my throat! The rice however was disappointing as I could not taste at all the coconut.

We enjoyed the lunch that was at a very reasonable price. Maybe for the service, they could be a bit more gracious though...

Enjoy (I did)!

 

Thai Basil restaurant in NYC, New York

It has probably been 5 years since I ate at Thai Basil and I was excited to go back to see if this little gem was still there and still serving some delicious Thai cuisine. And here it was, still standing on 9th Avenue between 55th and 56th!

It was different though! Still a tiny place, they have completely changed the decor, giving to the restaurant a more modern feel, yet with decoration still reminding Thailand.

In term of food, there is no surprised: they serve the usual type of food you would find in any Thai restaurant.

We started off with the vegetable spring rolls.

This is one of our favorite appetizers! It was served with plum sauce. I loved it: crispy, tasty and not greasy! But very hot!

Then, Jodi ordered the Pad See Ew.

These are wide noodles, fried tofu, eggs, broccoli and black soy sauce. This was very, very good! The fried tofu was slightly crispy and the noodles delicious. It was not salty like it can be in other restaurants, most of the time because of the soy sauce.

On my side, I ordered a chicken curry massaman.

It was served with rice.

This dish is one my favorites! The sauce is a peanut based curry and it is served with onions, potatoes and cashew nuts. It is to die for! There is a bit of heat building up, but you cannot stop eating this scrumptious sauce!

Although the decor has changed, Thai Basil is still serving some delicious Thai Food at a reasonable price! A great place to know!

Enjoy (I did)!

Vynl, Disco restaurant - NYC, New York

It has been a while since I wanted to try Vynl located in Hell's Kitchen. The name and spelling was intriguing, and they had truffled mac & cheese on the menu (yes, I just need to see one yummy item to make me want to try...).

The decor is pretty interesting: disco balls on the ceiling, mosaic everywhere, even on the table (ours was a displaying a big Atari logo) and a big bust of Elvis. On the walls, you could see action figures from bands like Kiss, or actors, shows...

There was definitely a disco feel accentuated by loud music: you do not go there for a romantic or quiet dinner!

The service was quick and very courteous.

The menu is a fusion Thai-American that can satisfy meat and non meat eaters! What is great is that they propose small plates so you can taste different dishes and share.

To go with my meal, I went for a milk shake.

I know, I could have gone for some wine but I cannot resist to a milk shake! They propose three flavors: vanilla, chocolate and mocha. I went for the vanilla one. It was a good milk shake with the perfect thickness and enough vanilla taste, thanks to the vanilla syrup they probably pour in it. 

We started with seared tuna sliders.

There were two of them, served with Thai spiced aioli and a cabbage slaw. It was delicious! Although, I would have liked a better proportion between the tuna and the bun. It is a very good alternative to a burger slider. It had very clean flavors and the tuna melted in my mouth.

After the sliders, we ordered vegetable dumplings.

They came with a sweet soy chili dipping sauce. I have to say that I am not a big fan of vegetable dumplings: most of the time, the shell is too thick, overpowering the taste of the veggies. This one was perfect! Light and succulent. Another great dish!

Then came the long awaited Truffled Mac & Cheese.

They served it with a salad. 

To be honest, I did not care about the salad, although it was good to have some greens considering the rest of the meal.

The Truffled Mac & Cheese was made with gemeli pasta, two types of cheese (fontina and parmesan), black truffle and cream. It was creamy and you could taste the truffle immediately. In fact you could smell it. Was it the best truffled mac & cheese I ever tried? No. But it was a pretty good one. I hate when mac & cheese is dry and this one was creamy. The only regret is that they only serve it as a large plate. They would have proposed it as a small plate, I would have tried some other succulent dishes they have on the menu! 

I had a great diner at Vynl and can't wait to go back to try some other dishes such as the fried chicken and waffle or the Kung Pao shrimp tacos!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

Sri Thai - Restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

Sri Thai is a small restaurant off the main street of Hoboken. I think that with T Thai, it is one of my favorites there. The restaurant is small, a bit dark and the service has always been good there.

The food is also good, particularly the frog legs...Yes, I usually go to to Thai restaurants hoping that they will have frog legs. There are few restaurants in New York that offer them, like Chez Napoleon (50th between 8 and 9th avenue in New York) or La Grenouille, but with more expensive prices. When I was a kid, we use to cook it for New Year, sauteed first and then cooked in a creme fresh, garlic, parsley and lemon sauce (i probably forgot some butter...). People sometimes ask me what it tastes like and the usual answer is "like chicken". No, it does not taste like chicken. It has a blander taste, so seasoning and / or sauces are very important. What is great is that they propose three different frog legs (Kha Gob) dishes:

• Kha Gob Gra Paw: sauteed frog legs with basil leaves and chili.
• Kha Gob Gra Tiem: fried frog legs with garlic sauce.
• Kha Gob Pad Ped: fried frog legs with eggplants and hot chili paste.

I tried all of them and they are all delicious, but I think my favorite is the one with garlic sauce. The frog legs have a quite good size and are not greasy, although I guess that the sauce would hide that. 

But, they also have other great dishes that I also tried, like the curry massaman. I also really like the tofu pad see ew (thick noodles).

They are very tasteful and delicious. The tofu is perfectly done and seasoned.

For appetizer, I am a big fan of the vegetable spring rolls (first photo above). They always come extremely hot though and as it is a finger food...They are crispy and great to start a meal!

Sri Thai is a great little gem in Hoboken with reasonable prices and delicious cuisine. It was not the first time I went and it will not be the last!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

Qi Bangkok Eatery - Great Thai in Times Square, NYC, New York

If you are in or near Times Square, this could be a good place to go! It is always driving me crazy to see that people are missing great restaurants in this area! There are great places on 9th Avenue and on 8th, I discovered Qi Bangkok Eatery (pronounce Chee).  The restaurant has been opened since mid 2011 by Chef Pitchet Ong (P*ONG).

At first, I did not know it was a restaurant! From the outside, it looks like a club and when you hear the loud electronic music, you would surely think you are in a club. 

The decor is beautiful: mainly white (white marble, white leather...), modern furnitures and amazing chandeliers, with a Buddha in the back of the room.

They also display holograms from the menu to the check to...the bathroom!

We started with Triple Mushroom Spring Roll: crispy spring rolls stuffed with glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and minced vegetables, served with pomegranate Asian plum sauce. It had a nice presentation and was really good: tasty, not doughy and not greasy. The plum sauce was delicious.

Then we had the Chicken Curry Massaman. I simply loved it. Very flavorful. I just would have liked less potatoes.

The Tofu Pad See Euw (Flat rice noodles stir-fried in sweet soy sauce with Chinese broccoli, broccoli and eggs) was superb! The Tofu was flavorful thanks to the spices! 

To help cool me down, I had a Thai Iced Tea that was delicious!

Qi BangKok Eatery is definitely a great Thai restaurant and with reasonable prices. I missed on the dessert as I was full, but will probably try again as Chef Pong is a Pastry Chef!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just Want To Eat!

Mie Thai Restaurant in Woodbridge, NJ

We went with my colleagues to Mie Thai, a Thai restaurant in Woodbridge, New Jersey. I like the place as it has a nice decoration with art representing Thailand. The service was efficient and very courteous.
For lunch, they offer different traditional dishes at a very reasonable price.

As it was the first time in that restaurant, I decided to go for the Penang curry. Usually, to test a Thai restaurant, I will either go for the Penang or Massaman curry.



First, they served us a salad.

The star was not the salad, but the peanut sauce that was delicious.

I asked to have Chicken Penang Curry mild: I am glad I did that. It was slightly hot and I am wondering what it would have been if regular. This dish had a lot of flavors and they served a nice quantity of it. I loved it and finished the bowl.

I also tried the Pad Kee-Mao that are sauteed wide rice noodles with shrimp, chicken, fresh chili, onions and eggs. It was also delicious.

Overall, I really liked Mie Thai: the food was good, flavorful and well seasoned. Definitely a good Thai place.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Great Thai Food at Thai Grill and Sushi Bar in New York

If you like Thai food and are on a budget, The Thai Grill and Sushi Bar located Midtown NY is for you! I went few times and each time the food was delicious. They have a lunch special that proposes a variety of dishes both Thai and Japanese. For sure you do not go for the atmosphere and the decor: the walls are weirdly decorated with some paint supposed to complement some artwork in a way that it looks amateurish, if not dirty. Also, the table we were sitting at, with their 70's look, overlooked some posters about labor laws.

Fortunately, the food is good! I always order a Thai Iced Tea when I eat in a Thai restaurant (mainly made of black tea and sweetened with condensed milk). It is so good and refreshing! They served it in a beer glass: it was awesome considering the gradation of colors that is kind of similar to beer.

I then went for the Penang curry that is a Thai curry supposed to be milder than other ones. Trust me it got some heat, but the tea helped cool it. It was delicious and they served a nice quantity of it (with Jasmine rice).

But before that, came a vegetarian roll. Good, not too greasy, but a bit small.

They also have bento boxes, with teriyaki (salmon, chicken...). I did not try them, but was told they were good.

Definitely a good place to go!

Enjoy (I did)!

Reference:
Restaurant site: http://www.nythaigrillsushibar.com/

Wild Ginger Thai food in Maplewood, NJ

I like having great food in small restaurants that have no pretension. I believe Wild Ginger in Maplewood, New Jersey is one of them! The restaurant felt cozy and warm and the service was very good!

The menu is simple with not too many choices, but with the basics: Pad Thai, Massaman Curry, Penang Curry, Lo Mein...No frog legs for me (I mainly find them in Thai restaurants).

They have a good and affordable lunch menu served with a soup or vegetable spring roll, brown or white rice. For the entree, you first pick the protein (chicken, tofu, beef or shrimp), then the way it will be prepared. It goes from traditional curry (red, green, Penang, Massaman, Thai) to classic vegetable dishes like broccoli with garlic sauce or string beans with soy and ginger sauce.

So, here comes the interesting part: what did we eat?

First of all, when I have Thai food, I always order a Thai ice tea. It was delicious, refreshing and not too sweet. A perfect start and believe me I got some bad ones! 

Then, as an appetizer, we picked the roti canai that is a roti bread served with a curry dip. I was surprised to see a roti in a Thai restaurant as I thought it was more an Indian / Pakistani bread (note: as opposed to the naan, it is an unleavened bread). In fact, Roti can be found all over South Asia with different names and declinations. It van also be found in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.

This dish is wonderful! Yes, the bread is a bit greasy because it is fried, but the only regret I have is that I did not order it for myself alone! It was so good! The curry dip is similar to the Massaman curry that has a bit of sweetness. It is more like a sauce than a traditional dip that would be thicker. Definitely an appetizer to recommend!

Then we got the appetizer: we all picked the vegetarian spring roll: good choice and nice presentation. I just wish it was bigger!

For the entree, we tried: the Tofu in the red curry (tomato, potato, string bean, pineapple, onion and coconut milk), Chicken Penang curry (string bean, carrot, broccoli and coconut milk) and tofu with string beans in a soy and ginger sauce. All of these dishes were served with brown rice, that was in fact not brown but had a mix between red and black! I loved it: it was a nice surprise and was a festival of colors with the different dishes (you eat first with your eyes, remember!). 

The food was pretty good: I am not a big fan of vegetables, but the string beans were very tasty and cooked to perfection. I preferred the tofu with the string beans rather than the one in the red curry because it was roasted and steamed tofu does not have that much flavor, despite the delicious red curry sauce it was sitting in. The Penang curry was awesome! Not too spicy, good texture and with a bit of sweetness. From the three entrees, it was my favorite!

So it was definitely a nice lunch experience and I hope plenty of people will go enjoy Wild Ginger as we did!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Restaurant Review: Topaz (New York, NY)

There are plenty of good Thai restaurants in the city. One of them is Topaz, located Midtown on 56th street between 6th and 7th. The restaurant is split into two rooms separated by a store, that only communicate through the kitchen. So, don't be surprised to be asked to step out and go next door to be seated! What is interesting is that, because of the way the restaurant is setup, it is considered by the city as two different establishments: one is the official restaurant (it has the kitchen) and the other one is a bar. You are probably wondering if it is important. In fact it is, as each room receives its own restaurant grade. When I went, the bar was graded "A" and the restaurant was "Grade pending"... Even with this, we ate there. For lunch, there have a pretty good choice of dishes for very good price.

So far, I have tried drunken noodles (stir fried wide noodles) with shrimp (photo), drunken noodles with chicken, chicken massaman, Panang curry chicken! Each time delicious and tasty, though they have a tendency to over salt (slightly). I also noticed that quantities vary... Despite this and the grade, I would go back!

Enjoy (I did)!