Pure Thai Cookhouse

Mr. Haribo Mule was visiting NYC for a few weeks. He had an important trade exam to take. But I was able to convince him to take a break from studying and to come out a few times to meet me for lunch and dinner. Whenever he's visiting from Germany, I like to take him to places that he can't regularly get there. So Asian is always on the menu. I took him to Pure Thai Cookhouse to check it out. I've heard rave reviews and wanted to see how it would measure up to my current fave place: Pam Real Thai.

The place is pretty small with mostly 2-top tables. The chairs are backless and equally as small. However, I think that's the vibe they were going for. The roadside noodle and rice place. I personally felt comfortable but I can see how someone might not.

I started off the meal with Green Papaya Salad ($7) and this generous portion showed up. Along with shredded green papaya, they had dried shrimp, tomato, peanut, long bean, Thai chili, and lime juice. This was really good. Completely refreshing and full of flavor. This would be great on a warm day or paired with a heartier entree. The chili wasn't overly spicy and the lime juice was so nice.

Mr. Haribo Mule had the Chicken Curry Puffs ($6.50) which came 4 to an order. Surprising for the price. I would have assumed maybe 2 or 3. I wasn't complaining though. These were just okay. The dough was flaky and light while the caramelized chicken, onion, and sweet potato inside was sweet and soft. The cucumber relish on the side brightened up the flavors but I was still just okay with this. It didn't excite me but it's not something I would usually order. My friend did enjoy it and happily ate 3 of the 4 pieces.

For my entree, I had the Krabi Seafood Noodles Soup ($10 - lunch special). It comes with flat rice noodles, shrimp, calamari, water spinach, bean curd, fish ball, and fermented tofu in a tomato pork broth. They don't recommend this dish for novices because of the fermented tofu. I'm no novice though. I'm very familiar with many Asian fermented foods and this would be no sweat. When it arrived, I wasn't thrown off at all. I didn't smell too much of the fermentation odors so I tasted it and smiled. A tangy, sweet, and savory flavor entered my mouth. I was happy with the complexity of the dish. The different seafood and vegetable toppings also made me happy. I do have to admit that this isn't for novices. So do take their warning into consideration. No returns.

My friend went the more common and safe route with Pad Thai with Shrimp ($9 - lunch special). His portion was very generous. The large bowl was filled with stir fried rice noodles, dried shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts, scallions, and egg in a tamarind sauce. He seemed happy with his dish and finished it all. I didn't taste it but could tell that the noodles weren't gloppy. Instead, stir fried to the point where each individual strand of noodle was covered in the sauce.

Pure Thai Cookhouse lived up to its reputation. The food was very good. The funky flavors tasted clean and balanced. The prices aren't too bad for the portions, especially during lunch  hour. This place is definitely going into the rotation. I'll be back. And do delivery as well.

Pure Thai Cookhouse
766 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
(212) 581-0999
purethaicookhouse.com