If you're tired of Thai spots that lean too heavily on sugar, Kam Rai Thai is a breath of fresh…read moreair. The kitchen here doesn't shy away from traditional flavors--the food is unapologetically spicy and savory, avoiding the "overly sweet" profile that many Thai spots fall into. Here's the breakdown of what we tried: Tom Yum Goong: This was the star of the show. It had a sharp, clean heat and a perfect citrus punch without that syrupy finish you often find elsewhere. Crispy Pork Belly: Exactly what you want it to be. The skin was incredibly crunchy, and the meat remained tender, seasoned perfectly to highlight the savory pork flavor. Fried Fish: Deep-fried to perfection with a light, crispy exterior. The sauce paired chili and fish sauce with fresh mango. Crab Fried Rice: Generous with the crab meat and wonderfully "wok-hei" (charred) and salty. It wasn't bogged down by sweet soy sauce, allowing the delicate crab to shine. The only real sweetness of the night came from the Mango Sticky Rice, which was the perfect, cooling end to a very spicy meal. The mango was ripe and the coconut milk was rich, providing the only sugary reprieve of the evening. Service was so nice. The hostess and sever were so nice and friendly. The severer felt like a Thai uncle, he made jokes, gave us napkins, joked with my child. It felt so familial. If you want authentic, spicy Thai food that prioritizes salt, spice, and acid over sweetness, this is your spot.

I came here to celebrate my mom's birthday, so maybe that's why I'm extra disappointed because I…read morereally wanted this meal to be great. To start, the food wasn't bad. There were some things we enjoyed, but overall we left feeling that the quality and portions didn't justify the prices. We ordered the chicken curry puffs first. They were much sweeter than I'm used to, and instead of the traditional cucumber relish, they were served with plum sauce. It wasn't terrible, just not what I expected. The roti with Massaman curry had good flavor, but the curry was so thin that it had the consistency of soup rather than a rich curry. It also came without any potatoes, carrots, or onions. I wasn't expecting meat, but I did expect a more traditional Massaman curry. The grilled beef (nuea yang) was cooked well and very tender, but the beef itself was lacking seasoning. Thankfully, the dipping sauces added some flavor. The beef short rib khao soi was another dish that felt underwhelming. The short rib was excellent--fall-off-the-bone tender--but the curry broth itself tasted too light. I personally think it needed more curry paste and more depth of flavor, especially for a dish that's around $40. The biggest disappointment was the kua kling chicken and the Hat Yai fried chicken. Both portions were surprisingly small considering the price. That's where I really felt the value wasn't there. Unfortunately, the service didn't help either. It wasn't rude, but it felt inattentive and lacked the warmth and hospitality I usually associate with Thai restaurants. I always want to support fellow Thai-owned businesses, so writing this review honestly makes me sad. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from trying the restaurant--this is simply my family's experience. Everyone has different tastes, and yours may be completely different from ours. For us, though, the combination of light flavors, small portions, and lackluster service left us disappointed, especially for a birthday dinner.

Yunnan 10 Second Noodle has become my go-to comfort food spot in Elmhurst. I come here almost every…read moreweek, and it's one of those places that never disappoints. Their original noodle soup is my favorite. It's so flavorful, comforting, and the perfect bowl of noodles when I'm craving something warm and satisfying. One of my must-order items is their cumin pork bones. They are soooo good, full of flavor, and honestly better than a lot of skewer spots I've tried. My daughter always gets their Taiwanese sausage every single time we come, and it's become her favorite. We also love their scallion pancake with beef. It's crispy, savory, and absolutely delicious. I also love how fast the food comes out. Even when I'm hungry and want something quick, the service is always speedy and the food is served fresh and hot. Don't forget to save room for dessert because their oolong cheesecake is so yummy! It's the perfect way to end the meal. If you're looking for delicious and comforting Yunnan food in Elmhurst, this place is definitely worth checking out. It's one of my favorite spots and I find myself craving it even during the summer!

Tomato soup base with beef is my go-to for the noodles! I love how noodle refills are free - though…read morethe initial set of noodles is plentiful too! The chicken foot appetizer was surprisingly really good! Though the popcorn chicken I had was more on the dry side.

Overall rating: 4.2…read more I've been wanting to go here on a recommendation for years. The service was very friendly and accommodating but I don't think curry ramen is for me. It was not good. The place is a tad too far for me (I live near prospect park) so doubt I'd come again.

Nice little ramen spot in Astoria. Tried their signature Hinomaru ramen, and unfortunately felt it…read morewas unremarkable. The ramen was good, but it was also at least 5-7 dollars more expensive than comparable ramen. The egg also was not worth the 3 dollar extra, as it was a cold poached egg and not standard soy egg. Service was good and ramen was definitely still yummy, but it wasn't a standout.

Delicious food!! I always get the pad Thai, it's amazing. Sometimes I get it with chicken, and…read moresometimes tofu- both are very flavorful and cooked to satisfaction. Great portion size as well. Takeout is super smooth. The inside is very cute as well. Nice for dates or casual dining. The owner is very kind! Definitely recommend.

This spot is casual and has some great Thai food. The portions are slightly smaller, but prices are…read morevery reasonable. On average, you'd probably need about 5 entrees for a group of 4. We got everything at medium spice level which was just the right amount of flavor and spice and wasn't too strong. I have a lot of Thai food and I have to say this is some of the best I've had. We also got the drunken noodles and veggie dumplings which I don't have photos of; noodles were good but dumplings were only okay and probably not worth it. Thai curry fried rice was very good. I also personally really enjoyed the Thai iced coffee!! Highly recommend stopping by!

First time here and they did not disappoint. The dry pot was amazing. Large portion sizes…read more Definitely over-ordered but will make for get leftovers. We ordered the dan dan noodles for an appetizer, chewy noodles and good flavor. Then we had the custom dry pot (we put chicken, tofu, Napa and Choy medium spicy) that came out tasty and fast. And finally we ordered the crispy fish which was HUGE but crunchy and flavorful - definitely more food than we expected but it's okay! Servers were friendly and even though there was an error in our order they were quick and ways to fix. The restaurant is small and hole in the wall, feels authentic. AC wasn't on so a little warm with all this spicy food but overall will definitely come back with friends and family.

A forgettable lunch I had here. It's not terribly bad but I can name a couple other Chinese…read morerestaurants I've had a better experience in. The restaurant is a few blocks from the main street of Steinway so it'll take a bit of searching. Going inside, the area is rather abstract. Pink flower wallpaper on one end and dry wall on the other, it's kinda off-putting but I didn't come here for the atmosphere anyway. Service was lukewarm, I got my order in but the two workers inside weren't too receptive and the menu itself is kinda barebones with most of their food being a bit more than I would like to pay for so I just settled on one order of Singapore Mei Fun. After waiting 10 minutes for my food to arrive, the Singapore noodles which are usually spicy were kinda salty but it was nothing a bit of duck sauce wouldn't fix. This one order cost $17 while not the worst Singapore Mei Fun...well technically it is, even though it's not horrible but I've had much better from other places for a stable price of $12. Yeah, a rather disappointing visit. Not the worst I've ever had but could be so much better.

One day I'll eat something other than pad Thai here. My go to. Always friendly and good about…read moreleaving out fish/oyster sauce for the vegan

Solid spot for a good pad Thai! A decent variety of noodle options as well with great dine in…read moreservice. If you eat in, sit on the patio with the fountain it's such a cute vibe back there. The noodle soups have def cured me on cold winter days.

Absolutely authentic flavors directly shipped from Taiwan! The beef noodle soup tastes just like a…read morechildhood memory, featuring generous, big pieces of tender, flavorful beef and the perfect noodle texture for this dish. Gulp provides unlimited Taiwanese pickled mustard greens (suan cai, 酸菜), and the Taiwanese popcorn chicken makes a fantastic side. I tried the braised pork rice as well- while it's southern Taiwan style (and I personally prefer northern style), it's still great. To drink, they serve traditional Taiwanese black tea (古早味紅茶). It is a bit on the light side, but still tasty. The service is quick and the staff are friendly, plus they speak Mandarin and some are from Taiwan. As you can see, it's the real deal! While Gulp's midtown spot goes for a trendy, modern Taiwanese vibe, the decor here captures the cozy, nostalgic feel of a small street-side noodle shop right by every Taiwanese's hometown. I hope they restart their Taiwanese breakfast soon!

I didn't understand how a place had such good reviews, but after I ate my first bite, I understood…read more Wow, this really is good. My braised pork noodles was a delicacy and tasted maybe even better than some places in Taiwan, and I'm Taiwanese. The unlimited tea is a nice touch. However, dang, was this place expensive, but I guess that's New York for you. I didn't wait too long on a Saturday lunchtime, maybe around 30 minutes for a small seat. It seemed like takeout was very popular. Dining in is super small. There's only counter space, so I wouldn't bet on it. Probably better to get to-go if you are nearby, or come early so you can get a spot. There is a speakeasy in the back too. That's a different place though

Popped in here for some lunch and it was really nice! I asked for recommendations and they were…read morevery helpful. The Singaporean laksa had some real nice flavor to it, though I do wish there was a bit more variety of the toppings. The inside is nice and spacious and there's free WiFi if you need to do any work! Will come back and try some of the other dishes.

Noodle craft is a nice spot for lunch. Noodles were good, needed to give it a good mix to get all…read morethe flavors. Lacked a little salt for everything in general. Popcorn chicken and spicy dumplings were regular, nothing to make it outstanding, but still delicious. The place is like a lunchroom. Not sure if we were just supposed to go take our own seats. There was no one to greet us as the ordering station is all the way in the back and all the staff were just hanging out around there. Service was odd, the server did not come check on us and when we needed something we just went to the ordering station. Please note, when we went it was pretty much empty, so it was not busy at all. As mentioned not sure how it supposed to work here, but we did get our food fairly quick. The place is cute, lots of plants, looks like a very big space, believe it used to be a garage. Overall food was filling, able to share if needed, give it a try. Its definitely a nice addition to LIC.