East Village Food Adventure - Part 2

The second stop was at Thai Me Up, and turned out to be my favorite of the whole food adventure. I’m not so sure I would have walked into this place without a little reinforcement from NYC Food Guy because I truly did not get the concept of Thai food served on a sandwich But, Thai Me Up’s Black Pearl sandwich had received some fabulous reviews and was a “must-try” for this outing. It did anything but disappoint.

But let me back up a second here. Before I get into the sandwich itself, I think a little background on this restaurant is much deserved. Hailing from Jerusalem, the owner Amir is the first (at least that Miss Menu has seen) to bring this concept to New York…one that is apparently almost as popular in Israel as falafel. He was very proud to tell us about his store and the quality of its products. He even walked us through the cooking process and helped us figure out how and what to order.

Seven vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, corn, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli) are steamed using only water. No oil used = guilt-free goodness!

Step 1 – Choose a sandwich or noodle/rice bowl. If you choose the sandwich, Amir will even inform you that the baguette is served “scooped out,” basically the outer, crunchy shell is left and the soft white bread is tossed. This acts as a great serving device. Unfortunately, that doesn’t prevent it from being very messy!
Step 2 – Pick your protein: chicken, tofu, or beef…or just stick with veggie
Step 3 – Select a sauce: Black Pearl, White Ginger, or Pine Grand (Amir said that they are listed in order of his preference and of popularity)
Step 4 – Add additional toppings/condiments: Lettuce, Tomato, and Mayo mix

The result is pure magic. The Black Pearl sandwich was almost too good for words. I was surprised how well Thai/Asian flavors worked with the French baguette. The Black Pearl sauce itself was delicious…”the bbq sauce of Asia,” as it’s been coined. And the mayo mix added a great additional layer of flavor.

I have already started recommending Thai Me Up to friends, and cannot wait to go back. Hard to go wrong with great taste, great value, and a great owner who really cares about his product. An additional perk is that it’s open until midnight, and they are considering staying open later on the weekends to appeal to the late night/post bar crowd. If you are ever on your way to Chickpea or on 14th Street for any other reason, definitely stop in and give Thai Me Up a chance. I promise you will leave very satisfied!

Two down, and how many more to go?!

Thai Me Up
238 East 14th Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenue
Menu Pages listing

Babar's Paradise

When I went to the website for The Elephant, it struck me that French and Thai is an unusual fusion for a restaurant to try to pull off. And to be honest, I left the restaurant without really noticing anything "French" about it, with the exception of a picture near the bar of Babar, the famous French cartoon elephant. If anything, it had a bit of a Latin American feel. But regardless of what the restaurant was going for vs. what they actually turn out, I really liked The Elephant.

The restaurant was pretty empty when I got there...but then again, it was 7pm on a Sunday. So I noticed that the space was smaller, but didn't get the sense that it was cramped. That all changed by the end of the meal. The dining area was filling up, the bar area was packed, and the tables were so cramped (literally zero space between tables) that to get into the booth side, they host had to pull out the entire table into the walkway, and then push it back in. Luckily I was sitting at a single table in the middle of the restaurant. But in that spot, I accidentally kicked the waitress and host when I crossed my legs. Oops!

Ok, enough complaining...moving onto the fun stuff: the food. Actually, drinks first. I mentioned how the restaurant felt a little Latin American to me. I think it was a combo of the chili pepper lights hanging and the sangria that I ordered. The sangria was really good...not too sweet, and very refreshing. They also have a very extensive and creative cocktail list, which is my guess as to why the bar area was so busy.

The menu is pretty large. As a non-pork eater, I was a bit discouraged at first glance when I noticed a lot of the dishes contained pork. Then I was happy to see a lot of different options for vegetarians, meat lovers, and those who fall somewhere in the middle (like me!).

Unbeknownst to me, I ordered the dish that everyone on every restaurant review raves about...the Moo Shu. It was served in a large (almost too large for the table, but I'll let it slide because it was so good) mixing bowl resembling a wok. Rather than being served in the more traditional manner with everything already mixed together, the ingredients came separated, so you could make each wrap to your liking.

The chicken had a great flavor and was cooked perfectly. There was an interesting Asian coleslaw made of cabbage, edamame, and some other greens. There was a section of bean sprouts, as well as red onions and carrots. Three sauces were also served...my favorite was the hoisin sauce, along with a chili paste and a spicy citrus sauce. You also have the option of making a wrap in a pancake (much like a tortilla) or in a large piece of lettuce. Both taste great, and are equally messy to eat. So prepare to get your hands dirty!

I also had some of my friend's pad thai. While it was pretty spicy, it lacked in flavor. I know pad thai shoudn't be swimming in sauce, but it was a little on the dry side. Maybe I just need to expand my pad thai knowledge before I totally pass judgment!

Overall, it was a fun experience. The atmosphere (while crowded) was lively, the food was really good, and the service was attentive. I could definitely see The Elephant becoming part of my stomping grounds!

The Elephant
58 East 1st Street
b/t 1st & 2nd Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing

Encore! (Pam Real Thai) Encore!

Thai restaurants in New York City are a dime a dozen. I probably walk past at least 3 on my walk to work, and have at least 5 Thai take-out menus in my menu box. So, it's exciting to find one that not only has great food, but also is one that you'd want to actually sit down in and not just have it delivered. It's even better when this restaurant is located near your office.

Pam Real Thai Encore proved to fit all these criteria, and is where I went for lunch yesterday. Encore is in the name not only because there are two locations, but is also exactly what I think after eating there...encore! I doubt that's what the owners had in mind, but maybe they're on to something.

Located just off of 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, it would be very easy to walk right past Pam Real Thai. There are dozens of restaurants on this stretch of 9th Avenue, including 4 other Thai restaurants just on that block. Some of these spots can be hit-or-miss because of their proximity to the Theater District, thus catering more to tourists. But, with Pam Real Thai's location off the main drag, they manage to avoid the hordes.

Pam Real Thai's interior is far from traditional. It has a futuristic feel with purple walls and modern, white tables and chairs. Just based on the ambiance, one might think that the menu wouldn't be traditional either...but that isn't the case. The menu is very extensive...ranging from noodle dishes to crispy duck to Thai-style soups.

I am usually not very routine with what I order at restaurants, but ever since I discovered Pad See Yew, I order it at every Thai restaurant I go to. It's not that I want to play it safe, but I like the flavor so much of the dish that I want to see how it is different places. I have probably been to 10 different Thai restaurants in the last few years, and I can say, without a doubt, my favorite Pad See Yew is at Pam Real Thai.

Some of you might think that 9th Avenue is too far to walk for lunch while working in Midtown. But, I promise you a fantastic Thai meal that is definitely worth the 3-avenue walk (that is, if you work on 6th Avenue!). Something else worth mentioning...Pam Real Thai is really reasonably priced. The dish I got was $6.50...and most fall under $10. Makes it worthwhile to take a break from lunch at the corner deli when it's about the same price. Before it was closed down by the Department of Health, I use to pick up lunch from Yum Thai, around the corner from my office. Their version of Pad See Yew was far worse than Pam Real Thai, and was more expensive. Not to mention the whole shut down by the Dept of Health thing!

If you need a place to go pre-theather, just looking for a nice change of pace from the usual lunch grind, definitely check out Pam Real Thai. They got my vote for best casual Thai in Midtown, and maybe even Manahattan!

Pam Real Thai Encore
402 West 47th Street
@ 9th Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing