9/21/13 Update: Unfortunately Eat Authentic Thai Food is now closed 🙁 Consider trying their original Wondee Siam restaurant at 792 9th Ave, between 52nd and 53rd Streets.
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This Eat Authentic Thai Kitchen Restaurant Review is one of our many NYC Restaurant Reviews. Visiting New York? See all of our posts tagged NYC.
Who said eating in NYC has to be expensive? Eat Authentic Thai Kitchen, aka Wondee Siam III, is easy to miss, a narrow entrance at 1429 3rd Avenue on the Upper East Side. But for one of the best cheap lunch deals, especially in this pricey neighborhood, it's worth a visit.
Compared to some of the other truly hole in the wall Wondee Siam restaurants, Eat Authentic Thai Kitchen is sleeker, with a bit of style. The walls are adorned with some black stencil work, as well as photos of Thailand, and some modern light fixtures add some atmosphere.
Usually there's just one host and one server during lunch service, but in the 5-6 times I've been here, I've never had to wait more than a minute upon entering to be seated and given the lunch menu. As you can see, everything includes a First Course, and depending on the Second Course you choose, you'll pay from $8-10 + tax:
From the First Courses, I highly recommend the Tom Yum Seafood Soup if you enjoy spicy seafood soups. I'm not sure why there's not a chili next to it to indicate it's spicy, but there probably should be. It was pleasantly spicy to me, but if you're at all sensitive to spice or chilis (see that long dried chili in the center of the soup?), definitely don't order it.
We've also tried the Temple Steamed Dumpling and Curry Puff, which are fine but nothing special:
From the Second Courses the best items I've tried are some of the specials listed at the bottom, or one of the curries. Here they are in the order that I recommend them:
1. Tamarind Fish
This was not only delicious, with crispy fillets of tilapia smothered with tamarind sauce, but also nicely presented, crowned with crispy Thai basil:
2. Grilled Pork Chop
If you don't want something spicy, this is the perfect choice: thin, flavorful grilled pork chops atop a generous serving of vegetables, with rice and garlic sauce on the side.
3. King Rama
It's easy to miss this one since it's toward the bottom of the menu, but I really enjoyed the combination of red curry and peanuts, all tossed with the meat of your choice and plenty of vegetables. I couldn't finish it and brought home some of it for lunch the following day.
4. Red Curry
I actually prefer the red curry to the green curry as it tends to be a bit spicier, and I like the aromatic basil included in it. Rich, with the coconut cream, so you may not be able to finish it. Do note there's plenty of bamboo shoots in this, so if you're not keen on bamboo, choose another dish.
5. Green Curry
This is always my husband's favorite standby, and this is a decent if not particularly memorable rendition–but great for the price, and very filling.
6. Lemongrass Chicken Breast
We ordered this for the munchkin as a non-spicy option, and he enjoyed it, although I thought it was a bit on the dry side. It comes with a chili garlic dipping sauce similar to that served with the pork chop, but it's on the side so it can be ignored and still be a good safe option for kids.
The Verdict: Although I actually prefer the northern Thai/Issan cuisine of Zabb Elee, when I'm on the Upper East Side, Eat Authentic Thai Kitchen is where I head for a cheap lunch deal. Even on my first few visits service was polite and efficient, the food has consistently been good to very good, and the value in this part of town is pretty much unbeatable. The only thing I've been disappointed with is the Pad Thai. I'd advise starting with the Tom Yum, and for main dishes, not ordering the noodle dishes, and focusing on the curries and the specials at the bottom of the menu.
Have you tried Eat Authentic Thai Kitchen in NYC for a cheap lunch?
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