Ember Room continues to bring the heat to Midtown. Designed by Chef Kittichai, the new menu at Ember Room is all progressive Thai comfort food, the Chef’s versions of the food he eats when he visits home.
The vibe is the same as it ever was – cool, busy, sleek, and seeming much more hip than should be allowed for midtown.
Crispy Rock Shrimp with Roasted Melting Eggplant
Starting the evening off with a bang, this shrimp is quite tasty. Incredibly thin and crispy coating shatters underneath the teeth, revealing plump and juicy shrimp. The shrimp’s delicate salty profile comes out when paired with the sweet glaze and the eggplant.
“Yum Hoi” Pomelo Scallops with chili jam glaze, pomelo salad, and roasted pepper-lime dressing
My favorite dish of the night. Warm scallops, seared to a salty crunch on the outside while remaining pleasantly soft within. Served with a sweet chili glaze, bracingly tart pomelos, and a fiery roasted pepper dressing, this is everything I want in a bite – crispy, meaty, sour, spicy, and a little sweet.
Had Yai Volcano Chicken – oven-roasted turmeric-coconut marinated chicken, green chili sauce
This dish arrives to the table, and just as its sweet coconut scent practically forces you to dive in and start eating, the server pours fire over the chicken, burnishing the skin to a crispy char. No, this isn’t Cirque Du Soleil, it’s just midtown. After such a display, you might think that this chicken is all form and no function. You would be so wrong. Juicy and succulent, even the breast meat is impossibly rich, infused with coconut and fragrant turmeric. Sprinkled with crispy shallots, all it needs is a swipe through the tart green chile sauce (laden with cilantro and quite similar to a salsa verde) to brighten its flavor and make it truly well-rounded.
Mango and Sticky Rice with Coconut Ice Cream
There is no better ending to a Thai meal than juicy slices of mango accompanied by glutinous rice, so sticky and dense that it catches the mangos juices and becomes just another vehicle for the tropical flavor. Served alongside creamy coconut ice cream, it is a sweet and comforting way to end a delicious meal.
Ember Room’s latest menu is a triumph. It is interesting, incredibly delicious, and a huge boon to the neighborhood.
To read more of Sarah’s dining thoughts , visit her blog, fritosandfoiegras.
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