While not many Manhattan-oriented diners frequently travel to the outer boroughs to engage in their favorite pastime, some culinary experiences are well worth the trip. Serving amazing Thai cuisine since June of 2009, Green Curry is clearly one of those culinary experiences.

By Elizabeth Perea, edited by Jim Luce.

New York, N.Y. Not far off the beaten path of Manhattan in Astoria, Green Curry is a Thai restaurant that easily rivals any of your inner-city favorites, but hold on.  The cuisine isn’t the only thing that will make you smile.

With lunch specials priced at $8.00 and dinner specials priced at $10 ($12 for shrimp), the total bill elicits almost as much joy as the authentic flavors and beautiful plate presentation.

The appetizer selection promises to provide something that will appeal to any true lover of Thai cuisine with traditional dishes such as Thai Steamed Chicken Dumplings prepared with water chestnuts, mushrooms, and carrots wrapped in wonton skin.

Traditional yes, but made uniquely true to Green Curry by being served with titillating soy, vinaigrette, cilantro sauce, truly a mix of flavors that will pleasantly surprise you.

One distinctive element of Green Curry is that all sauces are homemade and awaken a blending and layering of flavors uncommon in any other Thai experience.

Another appetizer on the menu, the Golden Taro, is an excellent example of the chef’s unique ability to create an experience that will please even the most traditional of Thai diners, while engaging the most adventurous of foodies.

The crispy shredded taro, wrapped in tofu skin and served with homemade tamarind sauce is truly an experience in both flavor and texture.

Taro, according to Wikipedia, is a tropical plant grown primarily as a vegetable food for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable.  It is considered a staple in Oceanic cultures.  Good to know!

Cooked in coconut milk and served with fresh lime juice and chili pepper, the Tom Kha Gai soup with mixed vegetables, chicken, squid, and shrimp in chicken broth was wonderful.

Nam Sod which is a well cooked ground pork salad marinated with roasted chili, peanut, fresh lime juice and shredded ginger ($9) and Yum Goon Chieng, Chinese sausage salad marinated with fresh lime juice, chili pepper, tomato, cucumber and red onion ($9).

Both were like nothing we had ever tasted before, but that we would most definitely order again.  

Also, worthy of note, particularly for vegetarians was an exquisite spicy vegetarian ‘duck’ salad, the vegetarian duck is made from wheat flour.

All dishes can customized in terms of their cooking method – from steaming to stir fried, and the curry can be paired with any variety of meat, seafood, and/or vegetables listed on the menu.

While the appetizers and salads may fill you up, the entrees at Green Curry are not to be missed, so leave room.

For the non-vegetarians out there the Keang Massaman made traditionally with sautéed meat with massaman curry paste, coconut milk, potato, onion and peanut, was out of this world.  

We can only guess that the distinguishing factor was the homemade sauce.

The fish dishes were also outstanding.  If you’re a fan of red snapper, Green Curry gives you three fabulous dishes from which to choose:

• The Pla Lard Prik, deep-fried red snapper topped with a unique sweet and spicy tamarind chili sauce;
• The Pla Jiean, or deep-fried red snapper topped with a combination sauce made of ginger, mushroom, and ground pork; and
• The Pla Chu Chee, a hearty, aromatic herbal curry fish dish of deep-fried red snapper with red curry sauce, coconut milk, and kaffir lime leaves.

Each of these dishes will introduce you to a layer of flavors about which you will tell your friends and neighbors.

• Pad Priew Wan. Thai sweet & sour sauce with pineapple, tomato, onion, and cucumber.
• Pad Kraung Keang.  ed curry sauce with onion, chili, and fresh sweet basil.
• Pad Khing. Black bean sauce with shredded ginger, mushroom, chili pepper, and scallion.

Another unusual aspect of Green Curry is that the non-related staff seems to be a family.  The owner takes great pride in treating her employees as family, and it is reflected well in the bright and energetic service they bring to each table.

Keep in mind that the owners and operators of Green Curry once ran the successful Pearl River (Rockland County) restaurant, “Royal Siam,” which was open 12 years. Customers would drive as far away as from Queens to eat there.  

Now New Yorkers from every borough need only to travel as far as Astoria to experience authentic Thai cuisine; a combination of Chinese, Indian, and Malay traditions, in a gorgeous setting with a wonderful and attentive staff.  As we, said earlier, it’s worth the trip.

Check out their Facebook page – I recommend Green Curry to all my Manhattan friends!  With 14 appetizers and 45 main course dishes, I know each and every one of them will find something to love.

Green Curry Information and Directions:
35-13 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, Queens, N.Y. 11105  
Take the “N” or “W” subway to the last stop – Ditmars Blvd. – walk 3 blocks.  
Tel. (718) 777-7013

See related stories written or edited by Jim Luce:
Finding Nirvana in New York City: Delicious Restaurant with a Heart (Daily Kos)

Photos by Morgan Freeman. John Lee, photo editor.

Astoria’s Delicious Green Curry Thai Restaurant. Originally published in Daily Kos, Dec. 26, 2009.

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