Thai Restaurants in New Jersey

[Rosie]

There's a new Thai/Vietnamese down in Bradley Beach called Bamboo Leaf.

The food is good but they're a bit pricey like Siam Garden in Red Bank.

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Address? Pnone #? Are they BYO?

Thanks for the info.

[suzilightning]

just had lunch with my dangerous english friend at:

Thai Nam Phet

296 Rt 46 East

Rockaway, NJ

973-627-8400

tues - thurs 11:30 am - 10 pm

fri & sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm

sun 3:00 pm-9:30 pm

and, Rosie, BYO

DISCLAIMER i am no thai food expert(though i play one on tv and want to get better acquainted).

we walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. ice water was poured and the upselling began - asking if we wanted tea, coffee, thai iced tea, thai iced coffee or hot apple cider (1.50-2.50).

the menu covers entrees and appetizers and in the back is the lunch special menu served mon- fri 11:30 -3:00 pm.

we decided on the lunch specials: Pad Preow Whan and Tom Yam Gai for me, Pad Thai and Thai salad for 'chelle with Po Pia Tod to share. and a thai iced tea for me. i asked the server what was in it and he said "things from Thailand". ok.

the salad, soup and iced tea came out immediately. the soup was spicy without being lip searing and i loved the hint of lemongrass and kaffir lime. the thai peanut dressing on 'chelle's salad really gave it a wonderful flavor. before we had finished the spring rolls came out: 4 crispy little cigars of hot goodness with plum sauce. oh, my

the pad thai was beautifully presented and the pad prew whan i had with chicken. crispy cucumber, softened tomatoes, pineapple, onion strips, scallions in a non-gloppy sweet and sour sauce which could have been a tad more sour(that's just me). one thing 'chelle noted that she liked this cuisine because it seemed less oily than most of the chinese food she has had around here. the total was 23.70 plus tip.

i think i could also get johnnybird to try this because not all of the dishes are spicy and i want to try more of the spicier dishes. i want to try the larb, Yum Ped Yang(duck salad), Mee Grob, curry puff, Tamarind duck, Chicken Yellow Currry, Ginger duck and beef with oyster sauce.

[Curlz]

I guess this is the best place for this post; there is a Thai Chef thread, but it's for the one at Riverside Square.

I had dinner last night at Thai Chef in Montclair for the first time...and couldn't believe that I had never noticed the place! It's on an odd stretch of Bloomfield Ave b/c it's in the mix of a few car dealers, and even though it's prime real estate (near the Valley Rd intersection), I had never noticed it before--and it's not tiny!

2.5 of us arrived a solid 45 mins before the third, so we had a grazing meal of:

Tom Kha Gai (sp?) soup

Duck Spring Rolls

Chicken Satay

Seared Scallop salad

Pad Thai (for the .5 in the group--she's 3 and only wants NOODLES)

Ginger Beef

The scallop 'salad' was our clear winner, but the ginger beef was RIGHT behind it. I say 'salad' b/c it wasn't necessarily listed as such, but it was one of 3 identical dishes--the variations being with scallops, shrimp or duck. There is a mix of lettuces, julienned carrots, cukes, peppers, lots of lime , mushrooms and probably a few other items I'm leaving out, and they plop the just-seared scallops on top of it. I was surprised by how big it was, considering it was an appetizer and not very expensive ($8-9?). The satay was tasty, and although I enjoyed the duck rolls (the sauce is terrific but a bit sweet), they were far too messy to eat by hand and didn't have enough duck in them. The ginger beef was full of zucchini and onions and the sauce was delicate but very flavorful.

Service was eh, but not horrible. The weirdest thing was that after ordering the first four items, our waitress repeated our order for confirmation and then flipped over the menu she was holding and pointed to an item and asked if we wanted to order it as well. It was the Grand Marnier chocolate souffle. WHAT THE...?!? In a Thai restaurant. Go figure!

The place is BYO. We drank (tap) water, but there is Evian and Pellegrino (?) on the table in case you want to buy it. When we arrived at 6:15, about 1/4 of the tables were occupied. By 7pm, the place was FULL. The bill (before tip) came to $56.

Will definitely go back to try some other dishes; overall, I thought the food was good but not spectacular, and the prices were reasonable. I think the food at Thai Thai in Sterling is far superior, and their service certainly is as well, but I'm pleased to have something a little closer.

Next time...Little Saigon!

[menton1]

Grand Marnier chocolate souffle. WHAT THE...?!?  In a Thai restaurant. Go figure!

I assume this is the same owners as the Thai Chef in Englewood... Englewood bills itself as a "Thai/French fusion" restaurant. It is not for Thai food purists, but the food there certainly is good. Not to mention that Thai Chef Englewood is one of the most beautirul restaurants in NJ...

[Jason Perlow]

Grand Marnier chocolate souffle. WHAT THE...?!?  In a Thai restaurant. Go figure!

I assume this is the same owners as the Thai Chef in Englewood... Englewood bills itself as a "Thai/French fusion" restaurant. It is not for Thai food purists, but the food there certainly is good. Not to mention that Thai Chef Englewood is one of the most beautirul restaurants in NJ...

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Attractive, yes. But they seem to have a lot of difficulty filling the place up. I think that location was totally wrong for them.

[menton1]

Attractive, yes. But they seem to have a lot of difficulty filling the place up. I think that location was totally wrong for them.

Hard to figure, it has good parking, nice visibility from the outside to attract drivers-by, thousands of ShopRite customers passing by, who knows why the place never seems busy. Maybe they need to promote themselves more...

[hitmanoo]

Ate at Tuptim in Montclair last night. Not a bad meal. Tuptim Montclair, NJ.

Started off with 2 orders of dumplings, both regular and vegetarian. I'll have to say that while the regular dumplings had a nice flavor, the vegetable dumplings were superior.

We ordered the Royal Siam Duck Salad, which I thought would come out as an appetizer. Was a little overwhelmed when it came out with the rest of the entrees. While tasty, I've had a far superior version of a similar salad at Wondees in Hackensack.

We had a special called "Just Noodles," which was three separate noodle dishes served on the same plate: A vermicelli, a pad thai, and a flat noodle. All three were good. The vermicelli was served a bit on the spicy side, and was exceptional.

In addition, we had the seafood gra-tiam-a combination of shrimp, scallops and calimari, sautéed with garlic, pepper, and fresh cilantro. Tasty, but nothing spectacular.

Finally, we had Tofu Pad Ped, a soft tofu with chili pepper and peas, served with a black bean sauce. Again, good but not exceptional.

The only dish that really blew me away was the vermicelli. I wasn't disapointed with the meal, but I must say that I've had better Thai elsewhere. Perhaps I've just been spoiled by the consistant excellence acheived by Wondees.

[=Mark]

There's a new Thai/Vietnamese down in Bradley Beach called Bamboo Leaf.

The food is good but they're a bit pricey like Siam Garden in Red Bank.

←

Address? Pnone #? Are they BYO?

Thanks for the info.

←

Bamboo Leaf is at 724 Main St. in Bradley Beach. Phone # 732 774-1661. BYO

So when will the "Master List" of NJ Thai Restaurants be published?

[Jason Perlow]

Attractive, yes. But they seem to have a lot of difficulty filling the place up. I think that location was totally wrong for them.

Hard to figure, it has good parking, nice visibility from the outside to attract drivers-by, thousands of ShopRite customers passing by, who knows why the place never seems busy. Maybe they need to promote themselves more...

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A very good source has just told me that the location was recently put on the market, in the NY Times classified section.

[Rosie]

There's a new Thai/Vietnamese down in Bradley Beach called Bamboo Leaf.

The food is good but they're a bit pricey like Siam Garden in Red Bank.

←

Address? Pnone #? Are they BYO?

Thanks for the info.

←

Bamboo Leaf is at 724 Main St. in Bradley Beach. Phone # 732 774-1661. BYO

So when will the "Master List" of NJ Thai Restaurants be published?

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=Mark--Do you have any free time? It's your project ! Thanks.

[=Mark]

There's a new Thai/Vietnamese down in Bradley Beach called Bamboo Leaf.

The food is good but they're a bit pricey like Siam Garden in Red Bank.

←

Address? Pnone #? Are they BYO?

Thanks for the info.

←

Bamboo Leaf is at 724 Main St. in Bradley Beach. Phone # 732 774-1661. BYO

So when will the "Master List" of NJ Thai Restaurants be published?

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=Mark--Do you have any free time? It's your project ! Thanks.

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Might be hard as this thread is almost 3 years old, places come and go...

[cranrob]

We tried Aroma Royal Thai Cuisine, 3175 Route 27, in Franklin Park this past weekend.

Best we've tried in the Princeton Area... small menu, mostly Thai classics with a few

Malaysian-type dishes. Beautiful decor. A bit more expensive than your average Thai

Restaurant.

[bgut1]

There's a new Thai/Vietnamese down in Bradley Beach called Bamboo Leaf.

The food is good but they're a bit pricey like Siam Garden in Red Bank.

←

Address? Pnone #? Are they BYO?

Thanks for the info.

←

Bamboo Leaf is at 724 Main St. in Bradley Beach. Phone # 732 774-1661. BYO

So when will the "Master List" of NJ Thai Restaurants be published?

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=Mark - I recently noticed that this restaurant recieved a decent rating in the 2006 NJ Zagat. Your reference in this thread however is the only mention I could find on eGullet. Aside from price, how does the quality of the food compare to Far East Taste (my current gold standard)?

Edited March 1, 2006 by bgut1 (log)

[Deldino]

Had lunch today from "A Taste of Thai" on Broad St. in Ridgewood. We all enjoyed our meals. We had Vegetable w/brown rice in Thai Basil sauce, good heat without burning, Chicken w/Red Curry - this was really good in my humble opinion - I like to taste the coconut flavor without it being over sweet - this was just right.

Someone had the pad thai noodles - they said the flavor was very good but the dish was a little dry.

The owner herself drove the delivery over to us in Fair Lawn, she could not be any nicer. She was very polite and thanked us for ordering and wished us a good meal.

Any other feedback on Taste of Thai.

[Anonymouze]

Sounds nice of her and the food sounds good too! I shall have to get over there sometime soon, maybe some weekend during the summertime!

I like Pimaan in Emerson and there's a good Thai place just over the border in Pearl River NY too that is good.

At Pimaan I like getting 2 appetizers as my main meal since they are BOTH good! The Meekrob and the Chicken Satay or Shrimp Satay. If I order off the menu an entree I'll opt for the Meekrob appetizer and then the Duck with Tamarind which is quite tasty too and their prices are VERY reasonable. They also give you an appetizer of diced cucumber as a sort of Amuse Bouche/mini-slaw salad type thingy... I'm at a lack of words, call it a Senior moment! LOL - however it tastes real good too and I've been tempted to get a pint of it to take home.

[Deldino]

Sounds nice of her and the food sounds good too!  I shall have to get over there sometime soon, maybe some weekend during the summertime!

I like Pimaan in Emerson and there's a good Thai place just over the border in Pearl River NY too that is good.

At Pimaan I like getting 2 appetizers as my main meal since they are BOTH good!  The Meekrob and the Chicken Satay or Shrimp Satay.  If I order off the menu an entree I'll opt for the Meekrob appetizer and then the Duck with Tamarind which is quite tasty too and their prices are VERY reasonable.  They also give you an appetizer of diced cucumber as a sort of Amuse Bouche/mini-slaw salad type thingy... I'm at a lack of words, call it a Senior moment! LOL - however it tastes real good too and I've been tempted to get a pint of it to take home.

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Hi! Where is the one in Emerson located? I would love to try it. I am always up for good Thai.

[Anonymouze]

Sounds nice of her and the food sounds good too!  I shall have to get over there sometime soon, maybe some weekend during the summertime!

I like Pimaan in Emerson and there's a good Thai place just over the border in Pearl River NY too that is good.

At Pimaan I like getting 2 appetizers as my main meal since they are BOTH good!  The Meekrob and the Chicken Satay or Shrimp Satay.  If I order off the menu an entree I'll opt for the Meekrob appetizer and then the Duck with Tamarind which is quite tasty too and their prices are VERY reasonable.  They also give you an appetizer of diced cucumber as a sort of Amuse Bouche/mini-slaw salad type thingy... I'm at a lack of words, call it a Senior moment! LOL - however it tastes real good too and I've been tempted to get a pint of it to take home.

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Hi! Where is the one in Emerson located? I would love to try it. I am always up for good Thai.

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Pimaan Thai Restaurant

(201) 967-0440

79 Kinderkamack Rd

Emerson, NJ 07630

All the gentlemen and ladies at work love it there because

their prices are quite reasonable, try their fried banana and

Ice cream dessert as well as their iced coffee/teas you won't

be sorry trust me! It's tasty, inexpensive and real good.

[bergen]

the Pad Thai at Pimaan is excellent. The portion sizes for dishes with chicken are tiny. They put very little chicken in the dishes. I have found their sauces very good but their portion sizes containing less than half the size of a place like Thai Chef.

[Anonymouze]

i found myself in what i assume is saddle brook, right west of 17.  i saw a thai restaurant there.  i have no idea what it's called or how long it's been there.  i think if you are on essex street, heading west, it's on the right right after you cross over 17.  i was on a bus, though, and pretty much totally lost.

any ideas?

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Could be Hackensack or Rochelle Park that early on... not Saddle Brook but I'll see next time I drive through if I can find it for you.

[Anonymouze]

the Pad Thai at Pimaan is excellent.  The portion sizes for dishes with chicken are tiny. They put very little chicken in the dishes.  I have found their sauces very good but their portion sizes containing less than half the size of a place like Thai Chef.

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We all should get together at Thai Chef if it's that good sometime! I'm in for it if anyone ever goes, it sounds good so far from what folks have been saying here.

[tommy]

i found myself in what i assume is saddle brook, right west of 17.  i saw a thai restaurant there.  i have no idea what it's called or how long it's been there.  i think if you are on essex street, heading west, it's on the right right after you cross over 17.  i was on a bus, though, and pretty much totally lost.

any ideas?

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Could be Hackensack or Rochelle Park that early on... not Saddle Brook but I'll see next time I drive through if I can find it for you.

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well, factually speaking, it's in "jackensack"

[bergen]

Thai Chef is not great. The Montclair location was much better prior to its expansion. The Hackensack location charges more because it is in a mall and is nothing special.

My complaint about Pimaan is not the quality. The portion sizes are about half what you would get at other Thai restuarants. To have to order twice as much makes it quite expensive for Thai food.

[hitmanoo]

Thai Chef in Montclair is decent. It's a place I really enjoy dining at when I can get one of the outdoor tables when the weather is nice. I really tend to go more for the outdoor dining, as I don't really seem to wind up there in the winter time...

As far as Thai dining goes in NJ, the best I've eaten at is Wondees in Hackensack. The food is sensational. The service and atmosphere are adequate--not spectacular, but the food is consistantly fantastic, and the prices are more than reasonable. The portion sizes are neither too big nor too small.

In fact, it's been too long since I've gone to Wondees---I'll have to get back there soon!

[jeanki]

Thai Chef is not great. The Montclair location was much better prior to its expansion. The Hackensack location charges more because it is in a mall and is nothing special.

I agree I went to the Montclair Thai Chef and found it a bit disappointing although not bad. The fish I had was way too sweet with tamarind, and the tom yum goong was nothing exceptional.

I wonder if Khun Thai in Short Hills is owned by the same folks as Thai Chef because they have the great chocolate souffles also available. I actually found them a little better than Thai Chef personally. It's slightly fusionized/westernized but in a nice way.

[Lutece]

Had lunch today from  "A Taste of Thai" on Broad St. in Ridgewood.  We all enjoyed our meals.  We had Vegetable w/brown rice in Thai Basil sauce, good heat without burning, Chicken w/Red Curry - this was really good in my humble opinion - I like to taste the coconut flavor without it being over sweet - this was just right.

Someone had the pad thai noodles - they said the flavor was very good but the dish was a little dry.

The owner herself drove the delivery over to us in Fair Lawn, she could not be any nicer.  She was very polite and thanked us for ordering and wished us a good meal.

Any other feedback on Taste of Thai.

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yes, the owner is so gracious and nice. Food to me , was disappointing although the place is spacious and pretty. Been there 3 times now and was most disappointed with the pad thai. Tiny shrimp, thats a turn off right away. They have some interesting , different fish dishes for a thai place like chilean sea bass. Portion was small and not worth the money.

Try the newest Thai in Ridgewood, Ridge Thai. It is small but the pad thai I had for lunch was excellent and the food smelled great.

Our favorites are still the place in hackensack wondee, although its a ride for us but worth it because its so inexpensive, portions are huge and its bring your own.

And, Thai House in Nyack never disappoints us and we've going there for many years.