Why Come Here? Authentic Thai flavors combined with American Comfort Food, Casual, Slightly Trendy Atmosphere, A Side of Dried Chilis
When I first read about the opening of Ngam and that it would be serving “Modern Thai Comfort Food,” I was intrigued. However, as someone who enjoys traditional Thai cooking and not the sugary American version, I was also concerned about the crossover and didn’t rush to check it out. After deciding not to put up with the 1 1/2 wait at Ippudo on a recent evening, I passed by Ngam with my brother and we decided to give a try. I was glad I did.
Despite what you might expect when you see burgers and pot pies on the menu, Chef Hong actually manages to successfully combine traditional thai flavors with American comfort food. No, you’re not eating authentic Thai dishes per se, but most of the food manages to taste more authentically Thai than what you find at most other “Thai” restaurant in the city.
Other touches I liked: A good list of SouthEast Asian beers including my personal favorite, Beer Lao. The also served dried chilis on the side of my dish – a common addition in Thailand which for some reason hasn’t made it’s way across the Pacific. It’s great if you’re sharing with someone who has a different spice tolerance, as you can season to taste.
Here’s what we ate. You can view more photos as reviews on DishEnvy.
Oysters w/nuoc mam, lime juice, fish roe ** – A great deal for 99 cents – get them while you can! Very fresh blue point oysters with toppings that enhance without overpowering them.
Chiang Mai Fries ** – The use of pumpkin instead of potato is a great touch and the coconut batter is light and sweet. Definitely want a side of these.
Massaman Pot Pie w/ short ribs ** – A Thai pot pie sounds kinda weird, but it was light and actually worked very well. And while short ribs and pot pie aren’t very Thai, the curry itself was very authentic tasting. I think I actually prefer it to normal pot pies filling.
Thai Burger (NR)- I didn’t try one this but my bro was a fan. It sounded and looked pretty tasty.
Ngam
99 Third Avenue (12th & 13th St.)
New York, NY
