Before I discovered the wonders of Elmhurst, for me, Hell’s Kitchen was the center of Thai food in New York. In fairness, it was the center of a lot for me since I had spent most of my time in the Theater District and I would wander west to discover as much interesting international food as I could.
There were some pretty legit (at least I thought) Thai restaurants in and around Ninth Avenue.
Considering that was well over a decade ago and I have since tasted and studied lots of regional Thai food in the city, it’s hard for me to say whether it was true or not. However, I can confidently say that in 2023, there are some destination-worthy Thai restaurants in this neighborhood once again.
Alongside places like Lum Lum and Three Roosters, Chalong recently opened and I was pleased to see it hopping on a weekday night recently. I took a seat at the bar and ordered something spicy.
The speciality here is seafood dishes from Southern Thailand and I thought their marine rendition of drunken noodles (or Kee Mao) would be a perfect way to try them out.
Wow! The flavors here were rich and complex – a bold layer of growing heat balanced by strong herbal notes, especially from makrut lime leaves and a unique ingredient in the ginger family called krachai (or fingerroot). Fresh meaty squid rings and large shrimp couldn’t hide themselves among the nutty flat noodles and soft egg pieces.
I have had many plates of drunken noodles, but nothing quite like this. And to think it’s found just a few blocks from the Theater District, where Thai food really does reign supreme. Price: $20
| CHALONG |
| 749 Ninth Avenue (between West 50th and West 51st Street), Hell’s Kitchen (212) 466-6456 |
| chalongnyc.com |
