FOOD: Queens' Thai Joints [NYC]

Thai cuisines is certainly one of the most popular Asian food in the country. In Seattle, it’s even more popular than pizza. But as with most things there is a downside to fame. With food, there's the chance of losing the authenticity—that taste of "home". Here in New York if you want that good Thai, do what many are doing for Chinese food (another Asian cuisine with mainstream status): Go to Queens, where you can find standout dishes including Filipino, Indian and Greek. After all, Queens was named one of the five most diverse U.S. counties, and the food selection shows it. So earn some food cred and take that Uptown train to Queens for these Thai restaurants.

SriPraPhai
If you want to get into Queens offering of Thai restaurants, SriPraPhai is a good start. Located in Woodside, SriPraPhai gets heavy foot traffic but its large space with outside patio and seating can easily accommodate a crowd. You’ll just have to wait for a table, but one look of SriPraPhai’s menu you’ll understand. SriPraPhai provides one of the most extensive Thai menus I’ve seen so far in New York. Non-meat eaters would be happy to know that SriPraPhai has an impressive vegetarian list too. SriPraPhai also doesn’t play around with their spices. My glass of Thai ice tea with milk and black pearl was an appreciated pairing to my spicy Panang Curry with pork and coconut milk.
Ayada Thai
Elmhurst is home to Queens’ Thai community and so there’s plenty of Thai restaurants to choose from in the neighborhood. One of my favorites is Ayada Thai. Located one block away from the bustle of Elmhurst Hospital, Ayada Thai serves a sizable menu that could compete with SriPraPhai for such a small joint. An order of Drunken Noodles leaves me satisfied with its copious mixture of vegetables, noodles and chicken.

Arunee Thai
The contemporary, wooden style gives Arunee Thai a Manhattan appeal, sticking out from the corner stores and “hole in the wall” restaurants on its new Jackson Heights location. Don’t worry that hasn’t affected the food. Arunee Thai owner Quin “Tony” Chen made sure to keep what customers loved about the original location but added style with the exterior. As I waited for my order on a bright Sunday, it did feel like I was in East Village or another trendy Manhattan neighborhood, but the hearty plate of Pad See Ew with chicken and broccoli is still very much at home in Queens.
Pye Boat Noodles
Adding to Astoria’s already varied food palette is the one year-old Pye Boat Noodle. But Pye is no longer a baby as it’s already making a mark for its boat noodles, a popular Thai street food. Chowhound even asked if these boat noodles could become “the next New York ramen”, and I can see why. Each flavored brothy bowl is served either with beef, pork or seafood topped off with herbs much like ramen bowls, but Pye’s use of ingredients such as soy sauce, dry pork skin and meat balls give its own taste and look. Pye Boat Noodles also cooks up traditional dry noodle dishes like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew.