Thai curry on LI: 4 picks
Penang salmon at Phayathai is a thick, perfectly seared fillet plated over spinach and topped with chopped shrimp and a coconut curry sauce. Credit: Alessandro Vecchi
Thai curries, which are usually made with coconut milk and a paste of fresh and dried herbs, are quite different from Indian curries. If you haven't tried a Thai curry, now might be the time.
Here are four Long Island Thai restaurants serving curries worth seeking out.
THAI TASTE, Massapequa Park
This quietly elegant restaurant serves a fine Massaman curry made with potatoes and tamarind. Try it with beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetables or vegetarian mock duck. ($10-$12)
BANGKOK PAVILION, Kings Park
Both a red curry with pork and a mango curry with chicken excel at this pretty Thai restaurant in downtown Kings Park. ($13)
PHAYATHAI RESTAURANT, Lake Ronkonkoma
Thai authenticity prevails at this unassuming strip-mall spot. The red curry with chicken ($10.95) packs a wallop. So, too, does the Penang shrimp curry. ($12.95)
LEMONGRASS THAI & CHINESE RESTAURANT, Oceanside
What sets Lemongrass apart for the many biculinary eateries is fare that, more often than not, is as vibrant as it is comforting. One dish not to miss is the colorful, comforting Panang curry with pumpkin. ($7.95)
