See what I did there? Hope the title makes sense to some of you. Humor, or whatever you call this, doesnt always translate well on the internet, but of course I never learn. Even the Chalong post below that I wrote in July of this year made me cringe and so I corrected it to “cringe light”.
Anywho, this is just a friendly reminder that Chalong in Thai heavy Hell’s Kitchen is a strong candidate for NYC’s best or one of the best Thai. It’s not impossible, but hard to imagine a more well rounded, flavor rich menu. We had another epic meal last week, and this time we brought some of the fiercest food critics we know, our children. Conclusion: 10 big, sweaty thumbs up.
The notable additions this time to all the awesomeness mentioned below is the beef fried rice, and Massaman Duck Confit. A good Massaman Duck that features just the right balance of sweet and tang with super tender Duck is hard to find. In fact the last time I had a good one was in Philly.
I know I havent been posting much about my hometown lately. Been travelling quite a bit, and had a fare share of mediocre meals here as of late (I’m looking at you Da Toscano). Another reason is that I’ve been having some weird, random health issues lately, but I’m all good now, ready to go.
Hell’s Kitchen needs another Thai restaurant like I need a stone in my sandals. When that happens, do you try to kick it out for 20 minutes or are you normal? I can just remove my shoes, but I’m so close, and there’s no satisfaction whatsoever if you do it the easy way
But as far as Thai food in Hell’s Kitchen goes, its not really a matter of need. The more the merrier, to keep everyone on their toes. Its an embarrassment of Thai riches. While most visitors pair their Broadway show with the classic pre theatre options east of 9th, those in the know think Thai food on 9th or beyond.
Chalong opened about two years ago by three Thai food veterans. To open a spot so close to Pure Thai Cookhouse and LumLum requires a particular set of tools, Liam Nissan style. And Nate Limwong who worked at Fish Cheeks and Soothr might just have the right tools. She grew up in Surat Thani, somewhere between Bangkok and Malaysia in Southern Thailand, hence bringing a fresh take to the hood.
Thai cuisine in NYC can essentially be categorizes into North, Middle, South, with the middle being most familiar to Americans. Northern cuisine had a nice run about 5-10 years, and now catching up at a slower pace. But New Yorkers generally not too familiar with Southern Thai. Much of the land is close to the sea which is reflected on the menus, but you also got the Southern interpretations of classics like Pad Thai which I wouldnt skip here.
At Chalong, not only the food is outstanding, but the room is comfortable and a bit more chic than some of the usual suspects. My old rule of thumb, go to the uglier looking Thai places in Hell’s Kitchen, is becoming just that, old and stale. The rule might have died when LumLum replaced Pam Real Thai. But in case you miss that oxtail soup, Pam is now cooking in Las Vegas at Mama Pam Real Thai Food.
The food rundown…
Jeeb Pu – Crab, shrimp, and pork dumplings. Essentially Shumai on crack. Get this.
Peek Gai Tod – Fantastic sizzling hot Chicken wings. All small ‘mid’ wings which are the best kind. They can carry more flavor, and usually crispier, as was the case here.
Sator Goog – A fiery combination of ground pork, stinky beans that look like Fava Beans, shrimp and curry paste. Waiter warned that its Thai spicy but it was more like borderline. Needless to say, Mardi Gras in your mouth.
Crab Curry – As good and well balanced as they get. Includes a small crispy soft shell crab for good measure.
Tom Som Pla – Nice southern style Tom Yum soup with Chilean sea bass chunks and Enoki mushrooms of all sizes. I think I enjoyed the Enkoi more than the fish which wasnt bad at all. The rest of the group found it over lemongrassed, but I didn’t mind.
Mee Pum Riang – Southern style Pad Thai with shrimp. One of my friends cant tolerate too much spice so figured we’ll try it. It still had just enough heat, and was actually one of the better dishes. The coconut curry cream really transforms it, in the looks dept as well. Go!
Chalong 749 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen) Recommended Dishes: All of the above
Eating With Ziggy 