I had quite a tasty lunch yesterday at Thai Market on the Upper West Side. It’s on Amsterdam between 107th and 108th, and pretty much always packed. Luckily, my hankering for Thai began obscenely early in the morning, so we arrived before the crowds.
Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret about lunch in NYC: it's the best deal you’ll ever find. Even the most expensive restaurants have decently priced lunch specials, and the decently priced restaurants have ridiculously cheap lunch specials. And since the portions are just as gigantic as those in the evening, you’ll fill up quick and save the rest for dinner. BOOM! A 2 in 1 for half the price- that’s definitely some savvy dining...
Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret about lunch in NYC: it's the best deal you’ll ever find. Even the most expensive restaurants have decently priced lunch specials, and the decently priced restaurants have ridiculously cheap lunch specials. And since the portions are just as gigantic as those in the evening, you’ll fill up quick and save the rest for dinner. BOOM! A 2 in 1 for half the price- that’s definitely some savvy dining...
Thai Market happens to have a great deal for lunch: $8 for an appetizer and main course. And for vegetarians, Thai is the way to go. It’s always a mix-n’-match kind of thing, where meat can easily be substituted for tofu and you don’t lose any of the flavor or integrity of the dish. I decided on the Tom Jerd Tao-Hoo soup (silken tofu and spinach in a vegetable broth) because it was 10 degrees below freezing outside, and the Vegetable Ginger entrée (cashew, tofu and vegetables in a ginger sauce).
The soup arrived and I was prepared to be underwhelmed (no, it’s not a real word). I’ve always found that restaurants sort of give up when it comes to customers who don’t enjoy sipping chicken juice, and throw together some bland, under seasoned concoction of vegetable stock and whatever else they have around. This was not the case with my soup. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavors brought forth from the simple ingredients, and the fresh cilantro and scallions made all the difference. Tom Jerd Tao-Hoo gets an A+! My Vegetable Ginger was pretty good as well. Very fresh, though I could have done without the massive chunks of bok choy. The sauce was also a bit watery for my taste. Luckily, it came with a heaping bowl of white rice, which was perfect for soaking up all the excess sauce. The portion was so generous that I actually ended up taking a good bit of it home and finished the rest for an early dinner. 2 in 1!
Overall, Thai Market is a great spot if you’re in the neighborhood. Their consistently good food makes it a staple date/group/family restaurant, and their friendly wait staff and well-conceptualized atmosphere (think bustling streets of Thailand) puts you at ease. It’s definitely not a destination restaurant, but a must if you’re a Thai-lover in the area.
The soup arrived and I was prepared to be underwhelmed (no, it’s not a real word). I’ve always found that restaurants sort of give up when it comes to customers who don’t enjoy sipping chicken juice, and throw together some bland, under seasoned concoction of vegetable stock and whatever else they have around. This was not the case with my soup. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavors brought forth from the simple ingredients, and the fresh cilantro and scallions made all the difference. Tom Jerd Tao-Hoo gets an A+! My Vegetable Ginger was pretty good as well. Very fresh, though I could have done without the massive chunks of bok choy. The sauce was also a bit watery for my taste. Luckily, it came with a heaping bowl of white rice, which was perfect for soaking up all the excess sauce. The portion was so generous that I actually ended up taking a good bit of it home and finished the rest for an early dinner. 2 in 1!
Overall, Thai Market is a great spot if you’re in the neighborhood. Their consistently good food makes it a staple date/group/family restaurant, and their friendly wait staff and well-conceptualized atmosphere (think bustling streets of Thailand) puts you at ease. It’s definitely not a destination restaurant, but a must if you’re a Thai-lover in the area.
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