Thursday, October 2, 2008

Bangkok Tasty - Mmmm Tasty Indeed...




Bangkok Tasty - 29-06 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718.545.8203
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.bangkoktasty.com

Margot and I were eager to try Bangkok Tasty after its big renovation about a month ago. Not a full-service restaurant in its past life, we were curious to see how Bangkok would measure up in terms atmosphere, staff and if it would preserve its good quality food. Overall, we were pleased across the board and would certainly pay them another visit.

Atmosphere:
The new decor is very modern yet minimalistic, giving off a relaxing and peaceful vibe. There's a concrete water fountain with a mysterious hand sculpture on top. While this sounds strange, it oddly works to create serenity--I caught myself staring at it at various points in the evening.

The rest of the decor is just straight up modern--the tables and chairs are simple and sleek but not the most comfortable I've experienced. The white textured wall on the right is nice to look at, containing a wave design and a long row of potted grass. The left wall however is more severe with a neon red stripe going through it--it's a bit too futuristic and reminded Margot and me of the late 80's early 90's. It just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the calm decor.

Food:
Generally, we were both happy with the food. I've heard rumors about how spicy everything was, but that wasn't the case with my dishes. I ordered and tried the following:

Thai Curry Puff - This was my appetizer and I was naturally expecting something round and covered in pastry dough. However, when my plate arrived, this dish looked like spring rolls. I asked if there was a mistake and the waitress assured me that these were, indeed curry puffs. I found them strange still, until I took a bite. The inside, which was packed with chicken, onion, potato and curry powder tasted just right. The tangy cucumber dip that was served along side of it was refreshing and had small pieces of cucumber and onion floating in it.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp - I've had this dish before and it happens to be one of my Thai food favorites. Bangkok's version was especially pleasing because of how well the shrimp was cooked. It was evident how fresh it was and once I bit into it, I tasted that wonderful flavor of the grill. The other veggies in this dish included cherry tomatoes, that burst in your mouth, onions, pineapple, cucumbers, carrots and sweet peppers.

Thai Salad and Thai Chili Basil Eggplant with Chicken - Margot ordered these dishes and she was pleased with her entree more than her appetizer--reason being that her salad was drenched in peanut sauce. I didn't try it for this reason, as I detest peanut sauce. I did however, try her chili basil eggplant and it was super tasty. The eggplant was my favorite ingredient--it was soft yet hearty and also spicy from the chili paste. Margot liked it as well and ordered this dish extra spicy so she could enjoy it to the max.

Service and Cost:
The waitstaff was pleasant and eager to get everything right. I can't say that I blame them for being over enthusiastic because Bangkok is, in some people's eyes a new establishment. Our dishes came out in good time and they were piping hot. The only strange thing is that they seemed to forget about us during check time--maybe they were just letting us chat. The restaurant was pretty empty so that could've been possible.

As most Thai establishments in the neighborhood, Bangkok is affordable. Our meal, which consisted of 2 appetizers and 2 entrees cost us approximately $32 (without a tip). And I can safely say that most other dishes there are in the same price range.

2 Mmmms

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