PHUKET AT NUR THAI

I recently got word that Nur Thai opened in Rego Park.  After looking at their website the menu items caught my attention as they did not all appear to be the common food served at your average Thai restaurant.  Owned by longtime friends Jashim Ullah and Razib Hasan, Nur Thai maintains Halal food laws.  It means that there is no pork or pork products as well as how the animal is slain.  What it means to the customers is that the food is really fresh, nothing is frozen.

Just getting totally fresh food at any restaurant is a bit difficult.  I’m off to 63-32 Woodhaven Blvd. to sample the bill of fare and meet the owners.  I sit down with Razib who tells me about how and where they shop at least three times a week.  

He had mentioned my name to the Executive Chef, who told him that he knew me from about 30 years ago.  “He was sent from God”, Razib said.  Chef “Charlie” as I had called him, owned a restaurant in Woodhaven called Noodles and Ribs.  It was one of my faves.  In fact I asked him to cater my bat mitzvah (I was 38 at the time) reception at the synagogue.  Just no pork or shellfish.  Charlie came out from the kitchen with total recall.  I knew at this point that the food was going to be outrageously delicious.   

The appetizer list had Phuket Sampler and yes, people pronounce it incorrectly.  It’s “foo-kay”.  It will now be my favorite “hidden” curse word.   Mix of:  Spring rolls (stuffed with veggies, glass noodles, taro and mushrooms) served with a sweet chili sauce; Chicken Curry Puffs (mint seasoned chicken with potatoes, onions, green peas, and carrot with yellow curry) served with cucumber vinaigrette; Shrimp rolls (marinated shrimp wrapped in rice paper and deep fried); and Thai Dumplings (minced chicken, water chestnuts, coriander) served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.  Can get it steamed or fried.

Let me also say that I am not a fan of spicy food but can tolerate a certain chili that hits the back of my throat and then allows me to taste the morsels without downing a glass of milk.   To be safe, rather than my usual Tom-Yum soup, I opted for the Tom-Kha of shrimp in a coconut soup with mushrooms.  

Pad Thai is another test of Thai.  Stir fried rice noodles with eggs, tofu, chopped radish, bean sprouts, scallions and ground peanuts.  Had it with shrimp.   Charlie adds some secret ingredients that makes it taste even better than the ones I have sampled at other Thai restaurants.  

On to the entrée list.  Chicken was my protein choice, Fresh Ginger my sauce.  Stir fry with onions, scallions, bell peppers, mushroom and of course, the fresh ginger.  One curry that is most tolerable for my palate – Massaman Curry.   Onions, potatoes (not chunks) peanuts and coconut milk.  Yes, there is a kick of spicy.  

I have passed up the jasmine rice served with any of the dishes to save room for more.  Okay, I have to take a quick break, reheat some leftovers and satiate my palate.  I’m back. I had Thaiger, one of the Nur specialties.  It’s a beef burger made from sirloin.  Charlie won’t tell me what spices are in it but I can assure you, you’ll love it!  One half of the burger sits on peanut sauce. The other half of the bun has cucumbers, red onions and tomato.   Really meant to be eaten with a knife and fork.   Burger has an almost consistency of a steak.  This is the burger that Charlie served.

I love duck, especially when it’s fresh.  That’s right, they do not get it either frozen or pre packed parts.  “Nur Thai gets their whole fresh ducks from Madani Halal Poultry in Queens,” said Jashim. “Then the chef prepares the ducks in his special 5 spices blended broth. After the duck is cooked, then the duck is deboned and fried to the order. This well prepared duck is offered in three different flavoring, Rama Duck, Duck Basil and Duck Tamarind.” 

I opted for the two non-spicy. Duck Tamarind is crispy marinated with tamarind sauce served with

a side of sauteed veggies while Rama Duck has the crispy marinated duck tossed with peanut sauce

on a bed of steamed bok choy. Both are served with jasmine rice. 

I went back to try a few dishes.  Larb.Calamari. Duck Salad

I’m glad that I skipped the jasmine rice to have Mango Sticky Rice for dessert.  Sweet coconut rice with mangos.  Great satisfying dessert considering that I’m a chocoholic.   Oh yeah, I had two glasses of Thai Iced Tea with my meal.

I was curious as to what some of the customers thought.  Jeanne and Milana came in for take-out but said that they had dined inside prior.  “I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and service,” Jeanne remarked. “This place blows all the other Thai restaurants away!”

Another customer doing take-out seems to be stopping in a few times a week.  She told me that she wasn’t sure as to why, but that the food tasted better than the Thai restaurants that she had gone to.  I told her that the food is fresh.  “Oh”, she said, “That’s what must be making a difference”.  I mentioned the duck.  I think that was one of the items she chose.  She spent a lot of talking time with Jashim.  Me, I’ll be going back for more. 718-255-6141. www.nurthai.com 

YOU’RE INVITED TO MY HOME IN THAILAND

Immigrants bring various talents to the United States.  Sharing them is as art.  Metta Haskel shares her experience of being back home in her Thailand kitchen as you become her new family.  That is what you will encounter at Thai Rock, located on Beach 92^nd Street in Rockaway Beach.   The menu features Metta’s recipes while her sister, Karog is the head chef. Her husband, Robert runs the rest.

Thailand art decorates the walls of this rustic looking eatery.   Dark wood teak furniture is brightened by the lighting, just enough to see your food and dining partners during the dinner hours.  Winter weather does not allow you to take advantage of the deck as it lends a view to Jamaica Bay and nearby Cross Bay Veteran Memorial Bridge.   

It is one of those cold and blustering evenings that I dined there both for the food and weekend entertainment. They were featuring the William Humprey Quartet described as being a “contemporary jazz quartet from arrangements using today’s songbook, with a concentration of music from the 70s, they perform songs by Lorde, Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Bob Marley, James Taylor, Disclosure and much more.”  The Quartet featured William Humphrey on saxes, Mike Jett on drums, Adrian Untermeyer on keys, and Dave Pellagrino on bass.  Sounded good to me, but it’s the cuisine that really counts.

Since the first question asked is about what we wanted to drink, I noticed that they had a homemade honey ginger tea (served hot).  This is not made using a tea bag and when you get closer to the bottom, more hot water is offered to replenish.  

We consulted our much knowledgeable waitress, Gabriele Mangango for suggestions. As it turns out, Gabriele works with Rockaway Theatre taking on the choreography for the children’s workshops as well as their shows.   Next one is Suessical The Musical Junior composed of the kids vs. the teens who will be doing Legally Blonde.  But, I stray….

Kin Lenn is Thai for appetizers and there were certainly enough to choose from.  My friend, Deveka was joining me.  Nothing can be too spicy for her.  After some extra descriptions, I ordered the Thai dumplings, the crepes being filled with peanuts and turnip.  Different and tasty.  

I do not tend to eat curry as I do not appreciate cumin.  Aha!  Thailand curry doesn’t use cumin.  I’ll take a chance and choose the Roti and Massaman Curry friend bread with massaman curry dipping sauce.  We both loved the texture of the bread.  I checked another part of the menu that features curry dishes and the massaman is described as having potato, red onion, peanuts and bay leaves in a dried chili coconut sauce.  It was milder than I expected and wondered if they sold a pint of it “to go.” 

I know that Tom Yum soup is spicy.  Once I get passed the chili, I can appreciate the rest. Not all Tom Yum soups are of the exact recipe at every Thai restaurant.  This was hot and sour with mushrooms, galangal, bell peppers, lemongrass and scallions.  I personally found it to be quite salty, though.  

With Pad Thai being one of my favorite staples, I opted for one with chicken.  In case you’ve never had it…stir-fried rice noodles, eggs, bean sprouts, scallion, black tofu and peanuts in a sweet fish sauce.  Quite good. 

Over to the part of the menu that read, “Ped and Pla” for a special entrée.  It was the whole deep fried snapper that Deveka and I both agreed upon.  With a number of sauces to choose from we compromised on the Thai Basil Sauce.  I loved the texture of the fish that was so perfectly cooked giving way to eating even the tail as if it were fish chips.  The snapper itself was meaty, juicy and not “fishy” tasting. 

Full as we were, I just had to try this dessert called Thai Custard, another homemade item with taro or pumpkin and coconut accompanied with sweet coconut sticky rice.  The rice itself would make for a great dessert.  We both highly recommend. 

As for the band, they were certainly my cup of honey, ginger tea.