-
Sorry to say but i agree ...there are no decent thai restaurants in the city. I've tried the "good" places and all the dishes are lacking. They have all been on the sweet side without a nice balance of flavors. I always wish I never left in Bangkok after I've gone to a thai restauant in the city that has recently been raved about.
›1 Reply -
guanubian
Jan 14, 2012 12:10 PM
I've been on a diet for nearly a year, so my information is dated accordingly. Authentic and delicious Thai food in Brooklyn and Manhattan is a mug's game. Go to Queens, either to Sripraphai or Ayuda. Runners up are Chao Thai, Arunee and Zabb. All of these are in Jackson Heights or Elmhurst.
Personally I rock it Isaan style, so for me the best was Poodam in Long Island City/Steinway, but that's long gone. Ayuda does the best approximation today that I'm aware of. Has anyone tried Poodam's replacement?
›1 Reply -
Is there any consensus on this nowadays? Seemed to be Sripraphai, then possibly shifted to Ayada, but aside from a couple posts, haven't been any updates since....
›2 Replies-
re: kallisti
BTaylor
Jun 15, 2011 02:26 PM
I suppose each has their loyal fans (and Chao Thai should be mentioned here as well).
Personally, I am absolutely blown away, totally in love with Ayada. If there is a lack of mention of Ayada, it's possible those "in the know" don't want the secret to get out! It's a very small place, but unlike the more austere Chao Thai, Ayada has a lovely, warm atmosphere. The food is beyond stellar. It was mentioned in Time Out recently, but it would be a shame for it to be diluted by success, as I suspect happened to Sripraphai (?). There's just something about the care of the details, the layers of flavor. The wide noodles at Ayada have that nice wok char. The sauces and curries have overtones upon overtones.
-
-
-
Zabb City is the best in Manhattan - Pork Larb, phad thai, musselman duck curry. Three stars (quite hot) for the larb and the curry, no stars ( or one if you must) for the noodles. Have it with Lao beer. Then go get a blueberry cream cookie from Momofuku Milk Bar. New york at its best!
-
-
bigjeff
Aug 13, 2009 10:28 AM
some new finds from Sietsema:
http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-08-1...
all sound purty intriguing and a change of pace.
›2 Replies-
re: bigjeff
Jeffsayyes
Aug 13, 2009 03:52 PM
Thai Center Point has been dogging me for a while now. There just aren't enough meals in a day! I really have a hard time picking just one. I lean towards Ayada though because I've never been disappointed with the food - most of the time blown away, they are friendly, close to me, and the decor is a favorite. last time i went either i was hungover or the lights were too bright.
there are lots of top-tier thai in woodside/elmhurst/astoria. im hungry. -
-
-
-
There seems to be a general consensus that Sripraphai is the best Thai in NYC. I used to live in the neighborhood and I can confirm that it's one of the very best restaurants I've ever been to. But there is a downside, which is that eating really good Thai spoiled me for bad Thai. I can still eat mediocre Indian food even though I've had the best Jackson Heights has to offer, but there's something about good Thai that makes it hard to tolerate mediocre. One of the basic palates at Sripraphai is an intensely piquant sauce made up (I think) of lime juice, red pepper, sugar, fish sauce, peanuts, raw papaya and red onions (you'll find it in the beef salad, whole fried fish, several other places). Once I realized what that was supposed to taste like I found it hard to eat careless versions at inferior restaurants. Fair warning.
›1 Reply -
Rhong Tiam is definitely good if you stay in Manhattan, but if you venture out to Queens, try Ayada Thai in Elmhurst/Jackson Heights. It's fairly new (opened in the fall) and is run by a woman who has had a Thai grocery store down the block for years. She was a restaurant owner back in Thailand and insists on using absolutely no cans in her kitchen, so that everything is made fresh on premises. She also keeps things interesting, adding unusual ingredients to standard dishes. In addition, she and the other waitstaff are extremely friendly and helpful with their recommendations. Sripraphai is definitely good, but it's not quite as good as it used to be when they first opened, while Ayada's owners still have that excitement that a restauranteur needs to keep things interesting. Highly recommended.
›4 Replies-
-
re: Pan
bigjeff
May 20, 2009 05:19 PM
ayada is great, they have a very nice som tam with raw marinated crab, their sour curry is very good, had a couple of other meals there and can't remember what we had but it was delicious. oh they have a great beef tendon stewed soup with dark soup (blood) that is excellent too; strong pungent flavors. apparently their lunch specials are good; there is a plate with 3 kinds of pork on it that I've yet to try. after eating at chao thai a lot (and I like that), I've shifted my allegiances to ayada.
more in this thread here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/580023 -
re: Pan
bigjeff
May 20, 2009 05:20 PM
basically you can walk there from either the Roosevelt Avenue EFRVG stop or from the Elmhurst Ave local stop; not too bad, right near the split between broadway and woodside avenue, about a block from elmhurst hospital.
-----
Ayada
77-08 Woodside Ave, Queens, NY 11373
-
-
re: Traditional Tradesman
It's so true. I just went to Ayada based on the above review. It was bonkers. Everything was so delicious.
In all seriousness, this is the best Thai food I've eaten – in NYC or out. I would recommend the dishes we ordered, but everything everybody else was eating looked so amazing too. I don't even know!
-
-
-
-
-
-
re: Pan
thew
Dec 24, 2008 04:00 PM
a few things that stood out:
Crispy Catfish With Green Mango Salad: grated fried catfish with spicy green mango lime saucethe tom yum was not like any i've had anyplace else - perhaps not "authentic" but delicious trumps authentic for me every time - and who knows maybe it is a lesser known variant
B.B.Q. Chicken: marinate lemongrass chicken bbq grilled to perfection served with "jeaw" and sweet plum sauce
Pork On Fire Moo -na - Rok: another impossible to get dish from the northern part of thailand, pork tips wok sauteed with fine chop lemongrass, fresh garlic and bird eyes chili, crispy kaffir lime leaves, and basil
i've had other great stuff there too, but i'm kinda sick and don't feel like cutting and pasting off the menu anymore - but those all stood out, and i was happy with everything else i've had there as well
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
How could no one mention Pam Real Thai in the upper 40s off of 9th Ave. in Manhattan? All of the food is spectacular, spicy, comes quickly, and is affordable to boot. I'm never disappointed when I go. And despite the fact that it's a small NYC chain, I agree that Lemongrass Grill (the original location on 7th Ave. in Brooklyn) is terrific, cozy, and tremendously fast with their service.
-
BTaylor
Aug 27, 2008 05:13 AM
The best Thai food I've found is PAM's REAL THAI FOOD on 49th and 9th. (Not to be confused with Pam's Encore a few blocks away.) Just this side of a "hole in the wall," it is my first choice among the veritable parade of Thai restaurants on 9th Ave. (Second choice would be WONDEE SIAM II up a few blocks.)
-
-
-
-
-
Travels4Food
Jul 26, 2008 09:16 AM
Are you looking for something with ambiance? The best place - Sripraphai - has none, but the food is outstanding. It's also very cheap, so you'll only impress someone who loves authentic holes-in-the-wall (personally, that would be my kind of evening), but it's a fun adventure and the food is truly unparalleled. If you want fancy Thai, you can go to Spice Market, though they're more Pan-Asian, I think, and honestly the food isn't as good.
If price really doesn't matter and you've got some time on your hands, get on a plane to Bangkok, then transfer to a plane to Phuket, and go to Patong Seafood. They'll let you pick out your own squid and crabs and cook them in the most flavorful curry you've ever imagined.
›3 Replies -
-
-
-
Not even a question. Sripraphai! One taste of the Crispy Watercress Salad with Seafood- is worth the trip!
›1 Reply -
-
-
-
-
-
-
A hidden gem (that's not talked about enough) is this little little place called Amarin Cafe in on Manhattan Ave. (btn Nassau/Driggs) in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Reliable, fresh, super-delicious Thai food in a very welcoming, no-frills environment. And sooo consistent! They have the best pad thai I've ever ever eaten, and believe me, I am a lover of pad thai! And when you ask for spicy, beware!
Other satisfying dishes there:
- BBQ Chicken
- Masaman Curry
- Green Curry
- Spicy Noodles
- Shrimp & Mango Salad
- Beef SateThe menu is small, but it's all you ever need. I eat there at least 2xs a week because it's an addiction of sorts. And I know I'm not the only one...
My brother went to Sripaphai recently for dinner and said that Amarin comes in a close 2nd. But, since I've never been, Amarin's #1 on my list!
›2 Replies-
re: skeetereats
Silverjay
Dec 1, 2006 05:13 PM
Sripaphai is better and has a much bigger menu- including many fish, squid and other seafood dishes. You simply can't be in the top of any Thai place list without an extensive, fresh seafood menu. Besides, Amarin's specials lean toward the western palate with salmon, mashed potatos, asparagus, etc. Amarin is good on a neighborhood level. Sri is a city-wide gem.
-
re: Silverjay
Asumnuthin
Jul 3, 2008 04:47 AM
Ive also head Sripraphai is supposed to be the best, but they are closed on wendesdays, whats that about? Personally I did not like amarin at all. I prefer Sea over Planet Thai anyday, its not the best thai obviously but its super cheap, so you can try many things, and it has a large menu with decent varity, nice atmosphere
-
-
-
-
-
-
This was my same question. My husband and I loved Tuk Tuk on Smith Street, and were dismayed to see it closed down. We have tried other local cobble hill/carroll gardens thai spots, lemongrass, joya, and a couple of others. but none were as good--in our estimation, it goes without saying. any others people love?
›1 Reply -
-
