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 

INTERVIEW WITH BROADWAY COMPOSER STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

With deadlines and assignments each day, composer Stephen Schwartz barely has time to perform at Queensboro Performing Arts Center, let alone giving an interview. 

Q. What was the first song that you wrote?

A. I was around 6 when I wrote a song called “Little Lullaby” for a puppet show that my sister and I were doing for our parents about a dog that had run away from home. The very first Broadway show that I wrote a song for was “Butterflies Are Free”, which turned into a movie that starred Keir Dullea.  At that time I received a Princely sum of $25 a week.  The first full Broadway show was Godspell, which was originally produced Off-Broadway.  Pippin was the first show that opened on Broadway.  I was 24 at the time.

Q. When you’re writing for a show, do you write from the script or book?

A. “Book” has two meanings.  For instance an adaptation of the novel by Winnie Holzman from which Wicked was written vs. the scripted dialogue. I and my collaborator outline the show and figure how we’re going to tell the story through song while analyzing the characters as to the tone in which they speak. 

In Wicked, the decision was that the leading character, Elphaba, would have a first song in which she dreamed about some day meeting the Wizard entitled “The Wizard and I”.

Q. I notice that there are songs that you compose either the lyrics or music?

A. I work closely with Alan Menken, known for shows like Beauty and the Beast.  For the show Enchanted, for instance, I wrote the lyrics while Alan wrote the music. 

Q. Do you have an expectation of what will become the “hit numbers” in your Broadway show?

A. I’m always almost wrong about that. For instance with Godspell there is this song called All Good Gifts that I clearly thought would be the hit.  As it turned out it was Day By Day which was recorded by Robin Lamont for the original cast version.  When you’re writing for a musical in contemporary times because it’s so story oriented and character driven you really can’t worry about writing something that might have a life outside of the show. Cabaret performers will choose a song that people like hearing and show off their talents.

Q. Is there a favorite show?

 
A. I’m partial to a show that people may not know called Children of Eden.  It is personal and I believe it has my best score.  The Spark of Creation has had much recording as well as Stranger to the Rain, Whatever Time We Have, and The Hardest Part of Love.  There are shows that I write without an expectation of their coming to New York such as Baker’s Wife.

Q. I understand that you worked for Disney?

A. Working with Alan I have done three animated films: Pocahantas, of which the best known song is called Colors of the Wind; Hunchback of Notre Dame; and Enchanted. Hunchback of Notre Dame was recently adapted into a stage musical, which we are about to record the cast album in a couple of weeks. 

Son of Pinocchio, originally called Geppetto, was a television special.  Children’s theatre groups were interested and so we did a stage adaptation. Sonya Isaacs did a “pop” recording of the movie title song, If I Gave My Heart Away. She is a wonderful singer with an evocative voice.

Q. Do you ever sing any of your own songs?

A. I can sing, but I’m not a singer.  People do like to hear a songwriter sing his own songs. I will be singing at the QPAC event. However, I have three singers that will be performing songs from my shows.

Q. Are there any shows in the making?

A. I’m working on an upcoming adaptation of the animated movie, The Prince of Egypt, for which I have written songs. Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston popularized “When You Believe”.  Although the production may not go to Broadway it will be licensed for theatres around the country to perform it.