Leng

Hidden behind the scaffolding that seems to permanently occupy Broadway and 34th Street sits Leng. From the outside, Leng looks like any typical restaurant, with a front waiting section, bar, and seating area. However once inside, you discover this is not the case. The waiting area consists of a bench and a side table piled with the latest magazines, and a full bar lined with stools. As you walk further into the restaurant, tables line one of the walls, facing a semi open kitchen. My friend and I were ready to sit down on one of these tables until we realized there was a back room full of more tables. Walking deeper inside, we came to this beautifully decorated back room, which had an entire glass wall facing a large courtyard and impressively tall bamboo garden, which is open and alive during the warmer months.

Courtyard + bamboo garden

The story of Leng started when the owner’s father, named Leng, opened his own restaurant in Bangkok in 1942. Years and miles have bought the recipes from Thailand to the heart of Astoria, as the Siricharoen family operates this Thai and Asian restaurant.

Leng’s décor has a trendy, modern look with a folksy, Asian twist. Dark wood panels of various widths diffuse purple, blue, and red lights that filter through the rooms, while diverse tiffin carriers and Asian beer and sake bottles sit on shelves in the back room.  Paintings of flowers line the kitchen area, while ornamented wood panels decorate the rustic washed walls of the back room, next to a picture depicting Thai monks. The lighting is dim, and aided by candlelight, each table displaying a different color and style candle holder.

Seating alongside the open kitchen

Interior of Leng

Interior back room

For our visit, my friend and I started with the Chicken Thai Satay, and moved on to the Gai Pad Med Mamuang and Bul Go Gui, with the Fried Banana for dessert. Shortly after ordering, a complimentary dish of sweet fried noodles arrived on our table in a bamboo steamer. The dish was tasty, sweet, and sticky with a subtle spicy kick. It reminded my friend of kettle corn, and reminded me of a Rice Krispies treat; regardless of the comparisons, it was a fun and light way to start our meals.

Sweet fried noodles

 The Chicken Satay was served with peanut sauce and pickled vegetables, both of which were excellent paired with the marinated and grilled chicken. The peanut sauce was so full of deep flavor, and the vegetables were crunchy and tangy.

Chicken Satay + sweet fried noodles + Thai ice tea

Service is speedy at Leng – we were still finishing up our Satay when our entrees came out. The menu said the Gai Pad Med consists of chicken sautéed with cashews, onions, scallions, and dried chili, however upon receiving my dish, I found it overflowing with many more vegetables, including mushrooms, green peppers, and celery. The portions are quite generous, and each entrée comes with a side of Jasmine rice. The Gai Pad Med was full of favor, the meat was tender, and the vegetables all very fresh and abundant.

Gai Pad Med

The Bul Go Gui is Korean-style beef with sesame, soy, ginger, carrots, scallions, and kimchi. The flavors of the sesame, soy, and ginger all gave the beef a rich taste, with the spicy kimchi adding texture. In addition to the Thai dishes, Leng pulls in influences in its menu from Korea and other Southeast countries like Vietnam and Indonesia.  

Bul Go Gui

Many items on Leng’s dessert menu appealed to me, such as the Coconut Cakes, Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango, and Taro Custard. I don’t like chocolate, so it is nice to go to a restaurant and discover a dessert menu that is not chocolate heavy but instead features some of my favorite tropical fruits, like mango, coconut, and banana. We ended up going with the Fried Banana with Ice Cream, choosing Green Tea as our ice cream of choice.  The Fried Banana came out perfectly fried and warm, with a crisp, sweet coating drizzled in honey. The Green Tea ice cream was overwhelmingly concentrated, and would have tasted better if the flavor was a bit more subtle. All in all, it was a great dessert.

Fried Banana with Green Tea ice cream

Leng offers fresh, delicious, and largely portioned Thai food in a beautifully decorated space that is sure to impress anyone. I am curious to see how the courtyard is when used; looking at the towering bamboo from the back room was impressive enough. Prices for main dishes range from $10 - $14. Although Leng is somewhat hidden on Broadway, it does get crowded, and at times, the small backroom can seem a little too crowded. However, service is fast, for the most part, and turnaround is high. It is a great local restaurant that Father Leng would surely be proud of.