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NYC NEW YORK New York City Brooklyn SOuth Brooklyn Untable Thai Restaurant Serves great cocktails Address: 529 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 UntableBrooklyn Exceptional Thai Food at UnTable A cheerful new Carroll Gardens restaurant is serving modern iterat
signals the chef’s unconventional approach to Thai cuisine—and in a poem on Instagram by Meen Srisopa
a co-owner
that ties the cricket sounds of Kampimarn’s childhood to a Chilean-sea-bass recipe that incorporates a tomato sauce reminiscent of his grandmother’s. A dish of shellon tiger shrimp atop whole cashews lime slices large chunks of garlic and ginger and hot T
shell-on tiger shrimp sit atop a mélange of whole cashews
lime slices
large chunks of garlic and ginger
and hot Thai chilies. A dish of crab croquettes with frizzled lemongrass and lime leaf. The crab croquettes wear a wig of frizzled lemongrass and lime leaf. Kampimarn—who grew up in Udon Thani
in northeast Thailand
and came to the U.S. thirteen years ago—once cooked at the highly praised Somtum Der
in Red Hook
but it was with the pre-service family meals that he auditioned his recipes; these became the basis for the menu at UnTable. The appetizer Yum Samgler
which evokes a jaunty fruit ceviche
is more poignant with a primer: Yum refers to cold salad
in this case a refreshing medley of cherry tomato
grapes
fig
strawberry
and avocado
and Samgler alludes to a group of three friends which wouldn’t be the same without any one member
nodding here to the cilantro
garlic
and black pepper in the bright lime dressing—and also
as Srisopa told me
to the restaurant’s three original partners. A shrimp appetizer wouldn’t normally quicken the pulse
but for Goong Lui Saun four poached tiger shrimp
shell-on
are doused in a zippy lime-and-fish-sauce dressing that highlights thick coins of fresh lemongrass
large chunks of raw garlic and ginger
Thai chili
whole fried cashews
triangles of lime
peel included
and micro-cilantro. It’s hot
sweet
bitter
with all that raw garlic
a thrilling shock. A spoon and a fork rest on a dish filled with broth. The restaurant’s chef
Aun Kampimarn
has developed recipes based on memories of dishes that he ate during his childhood
in Udon Thani. Seared scallops and enoki mushrooms grace a gorgeously creamy Tom Kha chowder
a December special
derived from a paste of galangal
lime leaves
and lemongrass slow-cooked with coconut milk. Crab croquettes
under a wig of frizzled lemongrass and lime leaf
are a lovely prelude to that Chilean sea bass
E-San Style
lavish with moons of kabocha squash. For the spice-curious
the must-order dish is the WHAT THE HELL!! fried rice
labelled
on the menu
with twelve chili peppers. Upon its arrival to my table
not one but two gracious servers instructed us to first try the rice mounded in the center
already laden with some very spicy Thai chilies
before mixing in more chilies
along with bits of rolled egg
fried onion
sweet sautéed pork
mango
and green beans. Without the extra chili
it was more of a What the Heck experience; crank up the heat at your own risk. The sole dessert
a vivacious yuzu-basil sorbet
is a fitting précis of Kampimarn’s food—bracing and comforting at once. (Dishes $14-$38.) ♦ Published in the print edition of the December 25
2023
issue
with the headline Tables for Two: UnTable. Christmas Time decorations Carroll Gardens Christmas Tree lights| Link to this photo view: | |
| Link to this photo large view: |
