SRI PRA PHAI: AN AUTHENTIC THAI RESTAURANT IN QUEENS SINCE 1990
The Cost - $26 per person
The Atmosphere – The inside of Sri Pra Phai is nothing to write home about but the restaurant does have an outside patio in the back with a cute little garden and fountain. If it is nice out, choose the back patio for a unique NYC dining experience.
Sripraphai Tipmanee began bringing authentic Thai cuisine to New Yorkers in 1990. She is the founder of Sri Pra Phai, a restaurant that has been recognized time and time again as one of the top Thai restaurants in New York by Grub Street and Eater and the like.
The Order - Papaya Salad, Northern Thai Sausage, Green Curry with Chicken, Pork Pad Gra-Prow, Kao Soy, Sautéed Chinese Watercress with Oyster Sauce and Mango Sticky Rice for dessert.
The Great -The papaya salad, with dried shrimp and peanuts, is spicy and authentic and reminded my of my time in Thailand. The Green Curry was excellent and I liked the bamboo shoots and fresh basil in it. The Kao Soy, a thick curry-like soup with chicken and fried noodles that you add in yourself, was absolutely delicious and was the best dish of the meal. I also thought the Pad Gra-Prow was a great dish and it was nice to have a dish that focused more on the meat than the curry. Finally, the mango sticky rice was a wonderful way to end the meal. The mango was ripe and fresh and the portion was good while the rice was nicely done and the peanuts added a much appreciated crunch.
The Good - I wanted a vegetable dish with the meal so I went with the Chinese Watercress in Oyster Sauce. The dish was good as the watercress tasted fresh but I wanted more from the oyster sauce and probably would go in a different direction next time.
The Okay - It was my first time trying Thai sausage and but this particular version wasn’t for me. The sausage had a large amount of ginger in it (too large in my opinion) and also had a very grainy texture that wasn’t pleasing.
The Verdict - Overall, this meal was a great experience. There is no shortage of authentic international cuisine in New York but finding a place that is authentic and serves great food at a good price isn’t always easy to find. Go.