3E Taste of Thai

If you like your Thai food with a side of smooth R&B music, then 3E Taste of Thai is the place to be. Where the popular music of choice in Astoria is Euro-club beats, Taste of Thai offers a more soulful approach to your dining experience.

Located on Broadway between 35^th and 36^th Street, the restaurant consists of a dimly lit bar area and dining room. The ambience caters more to the young, and seems like a popular group date spot, with many tables set up to accommodate groups. Having visited Taste of Thai on a Friday night, what started as two filled tables later turned into the whole dining room filling up, with a wait forming in the foyer of the restaurant.

3E Taste of Thai Bar + Dining Area

My companions and I started our meal with the Crab Rangoon and Shrimp Co-Nut. Our entrees were the Chicken Pad Thai, Delicious Beef Cashew Nut, and Chicken Healthy Ginger. Although the authenticity of Crab Rangoon in true Asian cooking lends itself to be disputed, the Crab Rangoon at Taste of Thai was excellent, with a perfectly crispy wonton wrapper surrounding warm cream cheese, imitation crab meat, and scallions. The sweet dipping sauce served with it only accented the flavor of the cheese. The Shrimp Co-Nut consisted of butterflied shrimp in a coconut and almond crust served also with sweet dipping sauce. The shrimp was juicy and fresh, and the coconut and almond breading added a sweet and deep flavor. A round of Thai Iced Teas provided a sweet and milky refreshment to our taste buds.

Crab Rangoon

Shrimp Co-Nut

Thai Iced Teas

The Chicken Delicious Cashew Nut was the favorite dish of the night. Served with a blend of carrots, onion, bell peppers, celery, and cashew nuts in a dry chili paste, this dish was full of rich flavors from all the vegetables and chili paste. The cashew nuts added some base to the seasoned dish. All in all, it was a solid entrée that I would come back for.

Chicken Cashew Nut

The Chicken Pad Thai left more to be desired. Having eaten my fair share of Thai food lately (Thai Pavilion, Leng), the Pad Thai at Taste of Thai missed the mark. The mix of rice noodles, bean curd, egg, peanuts, and bean sprouts had a bitter after taste and lacked the flavor pad Thai is known for.

Chicken Pad Thai

The Chicken Healthy Ginger came with stir-fried pineapple, mushrooms, onion, celery, cell peppers, and onion, with fresh ginger. The dish was tasty, and the fresh ginger gave the chicken and vegetables a refreshing kick.

Chicken Healthy Ginger

For dessert, we shared the Fried Banana Ice Cream. The banana came served as four pieces, each covered in a rice sheet, spring roll style. The deep-friend pieces came with vanilla ice cream topped with coconut shavings and honey. The cold ice cream accented with coconut mixed with the warm banana was nothing short of delicious. My one comment was the rice sheet was so thickly and tightly wrapped around the banana that I had to bit through many layers of this sheet until I tasted the fruit. I would have preferred a looser and thinner layer so that I could taste the fruit more.

Fried Banana Ice Cream

While Taste of Thai lacks the ambiance I normally prefer, it features some great dishes that I looked forward to ordering and trying again. It is not the best Thai restaurant I have been to, but it has dishes I enjoy. And at prices barely reaching $10 an entrée, this makes a great low-cost option for Thai food in Astoria.

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.

Guacamole

Nestled on Broadway in close proximity to two other Mexican restaurants sits Guacamole, which seems to be a hybrid of the authentic and unassuming Tacos Mexicos and the larger Las Margaritas a few doors down.  Astoria has been experimenting with Mexican cuisine lately, with places such as MexiQ coalescing barbeque with Mexican food, and Pachanga Patterson offering unique and trendy Mexican fusion. Guacamole offers no such pizzazz, but delivers fresh, authentic Mexican food in a relaxed environment.

Guacamole’s interior isn’t anything particularly special. The main dining area consists of a large room, with additionally seating lining the bar located in the back. The back area is spacious as well, housing a delivery bike and bathrooms. The place is small enough where you can see everyone in the dining room, yet large enough that you do not feel crowded. Generic paintings of food, flowers, and a Mexican woman line the citrus colored walls, while the Mexican waitress greets you in broken English and lets you pick a spot to sit in. It’s a comfortable place, that is great for groups of any size.

interior of Guacamole

interior

bar area

back area

 I recently went there with a group of fellow Astorians. Having just completed my taekwondo belt test, we were particularly hungry and looking forward to filling up with some hearty Mexican fare. Amongst ourselves, we ordered the Burrito de Espinaca, Burrito de Pollo, Mexican Taco Salad, Enchiladas Suizas, and Beef Tostadas. And Hot Mexican Chocolate. And some Pacificos.  We also started the night with complimentary chips and salsa. While their taste was nothing special, it was appreciated.

The Burrito de Espinaca consists of spinach sautéed with onions, jalapeno peppers and garlic, and comes with your option of black or pinto beans, rice, and cheese all wrapped up in a tortilla served with sour cream and guacamole on the side. The spinach and ingredients were fresh, and the burrito was generously filled with the spinach.  I had never seen a spinach burrito offered in Mexican establishments before, and found this particularly great for vegetarians or those not wishing to eat meat yet still pack some protein.

My Burrito de Pollo comes filled with grilled chicken, black or pinto beans, rice, and cheese and also served with guacamole and sour cream, and a sad four pieces of shredded lettuce.  I thought they could have been more generous with the chicken, but not being a particularly carnivorous eater, this was fine for me. The ingredients worked together smoothly, and the melted cheese over the rice, beans, and chicken tasted wonderful. The sour cream and guacamole on the sides were delicious as well. The guacamole is made fresh and chunky with pieces of avocado and tomatoes. I thought it could have been more flavorful with the traditional red onion, cilantro, and spices but in most restaurants, you also pay extra for the guacamole, whereas this came included. I also wished the dish came with pico de gallo, which also comes at an additional cost.

Burrito de Espinaca +  Burrito de Pollo + Jamaica Aqua Fresca

The Mexican Taco Salad came in a hard tortilla shell filled with mixed greens, guacamole, cheese, pico de gallo, and grilled chicken (my friend substituted her chicken for black beans) with a honey mustard dressing. The dish was quite large and satisfying, and the toppings all contributed to a more kicked up salad.

Mexican Salad

The Enchiladas Suizas consist of three soft corn tortillas filled with chicken and topped with a cream tomatillo sauce, melted cheese, onions, and sour cream. The dish also came with a side of rice and beans. This was a winning dish, as the cream tomatillo sauce mixed with the sour cream, onions, and cheese fused together so well. The sauce was incredibly rich and robust, and the enchiladas practically melted in your mouth.  The rice and beans side dish was also very tasty.

Enchiladas Suizas

The Beef Tostadas came on a fried corn tortilla shell, topped with black beans, lettuce, sour cream, and queso fresco. Presentation alone looked delicious, and the taste was light, fresh, and good.

Beef Tostadas

Guacamole offers a few bottled beers such as Corona and Dos Equis, yet our waitress recommended the authentic Mexican beer Pacifico to us. I hadn’t tried Pacifico before, but enjoyed the light, almost wheat beer taste. Two people in our group also ordered the Hot Mexican Chocolate which tasted incredible. I don’t even like chocolate but I genuinely enjoyed the richness and deep flavors of the hot chocolate. This chocolate wasn’t some store brought Hershey’s bar. There was definitely a hint of chili and some other spices that gave this such a satisfying taste.

On a previous visit, I had gotten their Mango Guacamole and Jamaica Aqua Fresca, which came in a dark berry hue. I was never able to pinpoint exactly what fruit was in this aqua fresca, and upon asking the waitress before ordering was met with a "it's good" and a point at the Horchata below it, but if I had to take a guess, I thought it had a guava base. The aftertaste was a bit bitter but I enjoyed the what-I-thought-was guava taste, and it is a drink I’d order again. The Mango Guacamole came loaded with chunks of mango. The mango wasn’t particularly ripened yet, which I blame on the off-season, but the sweetness of the fruit mixed with the creaminess of the avocado made it an enjoyable combination.

Mango Guacamole + Pacifico

 Guacamole offers solid, authentic Mexican food in a casual, comfortable, unpretentious setting. I’ve enjoyed my meals there and find it a good hybrid of authentic Mexican food mixed with a restaurant setting that is great for a sit down dinner or group outings. 

Euro Delights

It is true one can find any sort of food in Astoria, including a restaurant devoted to all types of crepes: sweet, savory, and breakfast crepes. While sweet and savory crepes are common, I had never encountered a breakfast crepe, and was eager to try one on a recent Saturday morning. Euro Delights is an unassuming creperie on Broadway that offers an endless amount of different crepe combinations, as well as breakfast dishes, Panini, burgers, wraps, and just about anything else you can think of. Their main specialty is the crepe, and it is my belief they should stick to that, but for all those crepe haters out there, Euro Delights has you covered too.

From the outside, Euro Delights looks like a typical diner, so I never gave it a second thought whenever I walked past it. It was after I found out they serve crepes that my interest was heightened. I’ve always found crepes to be a bit difficult to find in this city, where I have to wait for the Memorial Day through Labor Day street fairs to indulge in my love for crepes. Once I found out Euro Delights not only served crepes, but a whole bunch of different types of crepes, I had to give it a try.

from the outside

From the inside, Euro delights still looks like a typical diner. The place does not have much character in its orange walls and picturesque painted scenes of many unbeknownst harbors. A few lonely Snapples sit in an empty fridge in the back, and tables fill the main dining area.

interior

interior

dining area

The crepe selection is lengthy, but upon reading the descriptions of the crepes, you notice that they are just the different combinations of the same ten or so ingredients, mixed together in every way possible.  My friends and I all ended up ordering from the breakfast crepes selection, getting the La Basic Crepe, the Stallion Crepe, and the Maple Madness Crepe.

I ordered La Basic Crepe, which consisted of cheese, eggs, and ham (or salami). I chose this crepe because I wanted something simple where the flavors could really shine, and because in Brittany, the region in France where crepes and galettes were invented, this is a common savory galette that is served in every creperie. I thought it would be best to compare apples to apples.  When my La Basic came out, I was a bit disappointed – it did not look anything like the crepes I had from my time in Brittany. The crepe at Euro Delights consisted of scrambled eggs, mixed with cheese and pieces of ham folded inside the buckwheat crepe, whereas in Brittany, the crepes are served thinly, with melted cheese and thin layers of ham, with an ever so slightly cooked (or sometimes raw) egg laid delicately on top. While the crepes and galettes I got to eat in Brittany where absolutely delicious, I guess it is a bit unfair to compare the regional birthplace of a dish to a shop in Astoria, Queens. Putting that comparison aside, my crepe at Euro Delights was good. It was generously filled with my scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham mixture. While the flavors in my crepe were not as delicate, it was an enjoyable crepe that was made well.  It also came with a lone cucumber and tomato wedge covered in balsamic vinegar on the side, which left the cook in me confused and my taste buds offended. I believe this cucumber and tomato slice came with every breakfast crepe, which makes no sense from a culinary viewpoint, as not every crepe flavors’ on the menu harmoniously taste well with balsamic vinegar covered vegetables. It seems as if they were placed there as some sort of lazy attempt at a side or garnish. I had no care for them, and would rather have them not be on my plate, as the balsamic vinegar coat of course found its way on to my crepe.

La Basic Crepe

My friends ordered the Stallion and Maple Madness crepes. The Stallion was filled with cheese, eggs, sausage, caramelized onions, and green peppers. Why the owners didn’t just call it the Italian Stallion will remain a mystery to me. This crepe had the same scrambled eggs as mine did, with a zestier and fulfilling filling. The Maple Madness Crepe had bananas, walnuts, butter, and maple syrup, and came out with whipped crème and topped with powdered sugar and syrup. More of a sweet crepe than a breakfast crepe, it was great and also, generously filled.

the Stallion Crepe

the Maple Madness Crepe

I enjoyed my breakfast at Euro Delights, and will be visiting there again. For a creperie in Astoria, it is great and something we needed. The crepes are hearty and varied, which is nice for trying out new flavors you may not normally have thought of. With that said, there are some pretty wild combinations that do not appeal to me, but may appeal to others. I probably would not order from the breakfast selection again, due to my dislike for scrambled eggs in crepes. I have yet to try their sweet crepes but from what I saw with the Maple Madness Crepe, they seem to have their sweet crepes covered. The crepes will cost you between $6-$12.