Fish Cheeks
It’s a rainy Friday afternoon here in New York City but the streets are filled with summer goers from all over. Nothing is going to stop the youth from going out on a Friday night, even bad weather will have to take a step back. As we made our way from downtown to the east village, we could see bars and restaurants alike getting full already at the start of happy hour. I’ve been wanting to go to Fish Cheeks for quite some time now as I’ve heard so many good things about the cuisine.
Located at 55 Bond Street off East 2nd Street, this evening could not have been any better for some spicy Thai cuisine as even Ray Donovan himself was seated at the front of the place enjoying his meal.
We start our meal with a round of Nam Gin Martini which comes with a garlic chili brine and pickled gooseberry. This has a savory, dry and clean finish feel with the added spice, perfect for a cold rainy day. A dozen oysters were served to our table with fried shallots that gave it a nice crunch and nam jim seafood sauce for the added spice and umami.
The grilled pork cheeks followed next which was marinated in fish sauce and served with jeaw sauce. This dish was superb and I highly recommend ordering it on your visit here.
My 2nd cocktail was the Pandan Gin Fizz with lemongrass, aquafaba and singha soda. This cocktail was fresh, floral and foamy and very refreshing to drink.
Yum Hed Yaang was our last appetizer which was lightly grilled maitake mushrooms in fish sauce and lime. It was umami packed and the spiciness of the dish encouraged us to drink more ☺.
The crab fried rice was next and this was such a treat, nice and simple yet packed with flavor. The crab was seasoned well, and the egg cooked perfectly, and the herbs added freshness to the dish.
The rainbow trout pad cha with habanero chili and acacia leaf was our first fish entrée and the fish was cooked perfectly. Nice and flaky and the habanero chili sauce gave a nice contrast of spiciness.
How could we not end our meal without trying Thai desserts and the Ice Cream Bulan made with coconut ice cream with pasteurized duck egg yolk and ovaltine powder. This just tasted like my childhood and brought back so many fond memories.
#KULINARYATRAVELS will be back next week with a trip to a new restaurant called LittleMad.