One Thai Day in NYC

Jackson Heights is considered one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and therefore the country. Aside from a brief spell my junior year of high school when I frequented the 'hood to see a friend whose tonsils were removed, I have not spent much time there. One thing I have heard many times about the 'hood is that it has the best zyx food: "Best Indonesian food" "Best Thai food" "Best Indian" and the list goes on. As spring break week came to a close this Friday, I finally had time to spend a few hours in Jackson Heights, Queens to find the only Thai temple in New York City and to try some of this best Thai food in NYC. As usual, I will not bore you TOO much with my thoughts, just share with you my experience through photos =)



First off, I visited the Sugar Club which is like the NYC version of Thai 7 Elevens. It had all the goods and drinks that I liked but could not read the labels of back in Southeast Asia: Chinese iced tea, soy milk, sticky rice, durian coconut rolls, etc, etc. The girl at the register was really nice and put up with me saying how much I loved Thailand and that I am going back. She was happy for me that I learned how to make sticky rice at home!

My purchases for the price of 10 dollars. Those are chicken curry dumplings, which I unfortunately burned when I tried to heat them up on the stovetop and not in a microwave. Oops.


Me in front of Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York -  I did not go inside because I felt like way too much of an outsider and I was overly concerned with being polite and respectful. So I roamed the backyard.


Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York - so familiar with that NY twist

Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York

 

Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York - In the backyard there are Buddhas and elephants galore.

BODYSLAM is playing New York next weekend! If only I knew more than one song and had someone to go with.
PS - Their song that I like

Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York - Reclining Buddha

Wat Buddhathai Thavornvanaram New York  - That's a bamboo tree behind Buddha, and then a lovely red brick building even further behind. Gotta love New York.

SriPraPhai - One of the top places for Thai food in New York City. Hurry, hurry, hurry, take the 7 train.

SriPraPhai - DELICIOUS! Fried chives vegetarian dumpling. This is it, guys! This is it! The German and I ate these in Cambodia and had no idea what they were filled with and could never find them again. FOUND. BAM!



Tom Yum Goong (shrimp). Let me tell you, this soup has never been spicy in any Thai place I've gotten it inthis city. Let me tell you then when I bit into the shrimp, pure spicyness exploded in my mouth and I could not finish the meal. I sat across from my friend and thought, "This is it! This is that hot, burning, sensation that I had every meal with Ros in Krabi Town in the Night Market; and my life was complete.


SriPraPhai - Panang Curry with tofu. As a result of me (finally) burning my mouth on the Tom Yum Goong, I was incapable of eating this...also, I have never gotten Panang Curry so while it looked good, it wasn't the curries I am used to. Let me tell you though, it was spicy this morning when I had it cold! Always good news! Must go back and have some red curry like I always do.