Go Gin Chow: Sripraphai, Woodside Queens, NYC

Shadow here for Go Gin Chow reporting on one of the best Thai restaurants in the country.   This restaurant is truly a gem located in Woodside Queens NYC. The menu selection can be quite intimidating, it seems like every Thai dish you can think of (and the many others you can't think of) may be found on the menu, and while they may not execute everything perfectly, they are guaranteed to give it a decent effort with the freshest most authentic ingredients (no crazy substitutions will be found here), nice flavors and complex cooking techniques. It truly is amazing at the variety of dishes they can do so well. All Thai restaurants need to make a note of this and acknowledge that this is a huge factor in their success.   My favorite dish is the Crispy Catfish with Green Mango Salad (not ordered this visit). In my opinion this is their signature dish and no one else can execute this as well as they can. The mango is grated at the perfect thickness to blend with the flavors of the dressing, only the most premium flesh of the mango is used, no pieces of the outer skin can be found here. The catfish is superb, such fine consistency, deep fried to perfectly crispy yet dry and not greasy, you would not know it was catfish. The herbs (cilantro, mint, green onion) are so fresh they taste like they were freshly picked right before tossing in the salad (how is this possible, they are in Queens for goodness sake??). A must try dish if you are visiting here. Now on the the dishes ordered this trip, the Crispy Watercress Salad, another spectacular dish. The watercress is battered and fried almost like a tempura but not as heavy. The dressing is loaded with a variety of meats (Squid, Shrimp, Pork). Very good. Their tendon soup with clear broth was just ok, fresh herbs and flavors, but was not spicy. Their fried tofu appetizer, again just ok, though not much you can do with this dish, just fried tofu with dipping sauce. Their Shrimp Paste Fried Rice, not a bad choice, beautifully arranged plate with shredded green mango, sweet pork, red onions, sliced cucumbers, sliced omelet, thinly sliced green beans, dried shrimp and garnished with a sprig of fresh mint, a lime wedge and dried chilies. Their beef noodle soup with dark broth was excellent, rich complex flavors and textures. The broth was made with blood, might be a turn off for some, but tasted amazing (it is not easy to find places that do this). Meat fixings included a worthy variety - beef, beef meatballs, liver and tripe. No condiment tray was brought out with the soup and when asked for one, all that was given was chilis in fish sauce, not good considering everything else is so spot on and this is really an easy thing for them to put together. Service is just ok here. You really have to wave down to get their attention. One thing I never like is that the servers do not automatically give chopsticks with dishes like noodle soup and since waving them down can be such a challenge your soup might get cold. Ended the meal with my absolute favorite desert, lychee ice cream. Four scoops of delicious lychee ice cream garnished with lychee fruit (canned), a single mint leaf and a maraschino cherry. A real treat. Finally, be sure to check out the front of the restaurant for a huge selection of to-go goodies, such as appetizers, deserts and dipping sauces. You cannot miss this place, it is a landmark for Thai food connoisseurs, homesick expat Thais, and general food lovers alike. Happy eating!

                                                 Sripraphai
                                                 6413 39th Ave
                                                Woodside, NY 11377
                                                (718) 899-9599