Sripraphai Don't Preach

Last weekend Wesley and I were blessed with a visit from two friends willing to make the trek from their chic digs on West 11th Street. Brave souls, they--the 7 train wasn't even running. So we picked them up at Courthouse Square and ferried them to Woodside for Thai at Sripaphai, one of the more well-known restaurants in Queens.

We easily found street parking, then endured a 20-minute wait for a table. Really not a big deal, as we were happily chatting and people watching. The downer came when we were seated--at the same exact moment as 5 other tables of four or more in our section. As a result, our service was glacial at best--one entree didn't arrive for over an hour after ordering.

Despite the delay upon delay, the food was astonishingly good. We started with shrimp dumplings, fried calamari, and chicken satay. I especially enjoyed the peanut sauce that came with the satay; it was a perfectly silky texture and had peanut flavor without making me want to reach for the jelly.

For entrees, we shared a pad thai that wasn't afraid of the dried shrimp (little pungent bits sprinkled throughout), sea bass in a lemongrass sauce that was hearty enough to be a soup, steamed chicken breast with basil sauce (presentation left something to be desired, but taste was supreme), and green curry with beef. The last was rich, smooth, with each of the flavor elements discernible yet harmonious. Dished up with coconut rice and the whole meal was a winner.

We retired back to chez Claire-Wesley for dessert: a chocolate mousse cake from Nita's and great conversation.

Sripaphai
7 train to 69th Street
Map