When a Manhattan restaurant has been in business for 20 years, when its old customers clue newcomers in on what to order and even have wall plaques over their favorite tables, it’s obviously special. Seeda Thai II, which serves authentic, sometimes-exotic Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, is such a place. Many diners have been going to it from the beginning.And those plaques have more than just names on them—they show the menu’s code numbers for the dishes the regulars order. For instance: “SP1” for Chef’s special one—a peanut chicken that’s a skinned chicken breast escorted by subtle basil fried rice and a lip-smacking sauce made from ground peanuts.Seeda started out as a Thai restaurant, but when the long-running show Miss Saigon opened near by in 1991 it added a Vietnamese menu. The show has since closed, but Seeda is still open and perking along at a healthy pace.From the outside, this Broadway area storefront isn’t a big, impressive spot. It could easily be passed by (that would be a mistake). Inside it’s a different story; though not impressive, it’s authentic, charming and cozy with its Thai Batik wall decorations, tropical fish aquarium and mannequin dressed in traditional Thai garb. Patrons sit beside brick walls at candle-lighted tables under trac lights and a skylight with hanging plants.If long time patrons fail to make suggestions owner Janet Jarusuk is very helpful. We listened to her and her valued regulars, read the wall plaque and menu, and ordered appetizers like hot and sour soup, steamed dumplings, mee krob and Thai salad. Entrées, aside from the peanut chicken, were nam, sweet-and-sour duck, and vegetable pad Thai. Although I enjoyed some dishes better than others, there wasn’t a clunker among them. A few of the selections sound like typical Chinese fare and are Chinese influenced, but they aren’t the same dishes. That hot and sour soup for instance, is called Tom yum and is studded with shrimp in citrusy lemongrass broth. The Thai salad with greens and tofu has a peanut dressing you’ll never find in a Chinese restaurant. Even the familiar steamed pork dumplings have some desirable Thai snap to them. Mee krob, one of Thailand’s two most popular dishes, (the other is Pad Thai), with crisp, discretely sweet and sour noodles and a mix of bean sprouts, shrimp and pork is a triumph. So is nam, an artfully-assembled mélange of minced pork, ginger, onion, chili, and lime juice. Meat and sweet ingredients aren’t among my favorite combinations, but the half-sweet and sour duck here, with its blend of crisp, skinned, moist meat, pineapples, tomatoes, and chili sauce with cashews was an exception. Just as Seeda itself is exceptional. 309 W. 50th St. btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves., 212-586-4040.Richard J. Scholem is a former contributor of restaurant reviews for the Long Island Section of The New York Times. Archives: Happenings at B. Smith's Restaurant in New York City Grand Central Oyster Bar Presents Chablis Pairing Dinner on Tuesday, Feb. 16th Grand Central Oyster Bar Offers Valentine's Day Prelude Menu on Saturday, Feb. 13th Patsy's Italian Restaurant Offers 'Ultimate Aphrodisiac Menu' for Valentine's Day 2010 Celebrate Carnaval at SushiSamba 7 and SushiSamba Park on Tuesday, February 16th Lobster Celebration at Tio Pepe Benjamin Steakhouse Joins Dine Out for Haiti on Sunday, January 24th Salute! Announces Restaurant Week Menu (Jan. 25th-Feb. 28th) Salute's Winter Restaurant Week Menu Free Bottle of Wine at Lunch at Trattoria Dopo Teatro $30 Tuesdays and Thursdays at Cascina Ristorante How to Spend Valentine's Day 2010 in New York City Brother Jimmy's BBQ: Slow Food Makes Its Mark in Manhattan Patsy's Italian Restaurant Launches the Williamsburg Winery’s 2007 Adagio on Jan. 19th Grand Central Oyster Bar's Winemaker Dinner Takes Place Monday, January 11th
When a Manhattan restaurant has been in business for 20 years, when its old customers clue newcomers in on what to order and even have wall plaques over their favorite tables, it’s obviously special. Seeda Thai II, which serves authentic, sometimes-exotic Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, is such a place. Many diners have been going to it from the beginning.And those plaques have more than just names on them—they show the menu’s code numbers for the dishes the regulars order. For instance: “SP1” for Chef’s special one—a peanut chicken that’s a skinned chicken breast escorted by subtle basil fried rice and a lip-smacking sauce made from ground peanuts.Seeda started out as a Thai restaurant, but when the long-running show Miss Saigon opened near by in 1991 it added a Vietnamese menu. The show has since closed, but Seeda is still open and perking along at a healthy pace.From the outside, this Broadway area storefront isn’t a big, impressive spot. It could easily be passed by (that would be a mistake). Inside it’s a different story; though not impressive, it’s authentic, charming and cozy with its Thai Batik wall decorations, tropical fish aquarium and mannequin dressed in traditional Thai garb. Patrons sit beside brick walls at candle-lighted tables under trac lights and a skylight with hanging plants.If long time patrons fail to make suggestions owner Janet Jarusuk is very helpful. We listened to her and her valued regulars, read the wall plaque and menu, and ordered appetizers like hot and sour soup, steamed dumplings, mee krob and Thai salad. Entrées, aside from the peanut chicken, were nam, sweet-and-sour duck, and vegetable pad Thai. Although I enjoyed some dishes better than others, there wasn’t a clunker among them. A few of the selections sound like typical Chinese fare and are Chinese influenced, but they aren’t the same dishes. That hot and sour soup for instance, is called Tom yum and is studded with shrimp in citrusy lemongrass broth. The Thai salad with greens and tofu has a peanut dressing you’ll never find in a Chinese restaurant. Even the familiar steamed pork dumplings have some desirable Thai snap to them. Mee krob, one of Thailand’s two most popular dishes, (the other is Pad Thai), with crisp, discretely sweet and sour noodles and a mix of bean sprouts, shrimp and pork is a triumph. So is nam, an artfully-assembled mélange of minced pork, ginger, onion, chili, and lime juice. Meat and sweet ingredients aren’t among my favorite combinations, but the half-sweet and sour duck here, with its blend of crisp, skinned, moist meat, pineapples, tomatoes, and chili sauce with cashews was an exception. Just as Seeda itself is exceptional. 309 W. 50th St. btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves., 212-586-4040.Richard J. Scholem is a former contributor of restaurant reviews for the Long Island Section of The New York Times.
· Theater · Culture/Museums · Sightseeing · Galleries
· Nightlife · Family Fun · Places to Eat · Shopping in NYC
· Activity Planner · Discounts · Hotels · Maps
For More Content Visit: Manhattan Living Magazine | NY Metro Parents Magazine NYC Activities | NYC Dining | NYC Discounts | NYC Events NYC Museums | NYC Shopping | NYC Theater Contact us. All Materials Copyright 2010 Davler Media Group, LLC View Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
