Ayada, Longtime Queens Thai Restaurant, Jumps Into Chelsea Market - Eater NY
"Longtime Elmhurst restaurant Ayada — one of the city’s most acclaimed Thai spots — is bringing its family recipes over to Manhattan. Grub Street reports that owner-chef Duangjai “Kitty” Thammasat and her family plan to open the second outpost of Ayada in Chelsea Market, replacing Chelsea Thai’s space seating 45 people. Like at the original Queens outpost, Thammasat will serve no-holds-barred spicy Thai fare, including popular options like the duck Penang curry and papaya salad, though the menu will be shorter. Ayada opened a decade ago in Elmhurst, and many consider it among the top Thai restaurants in the city, even as newer ambitious places like Ugly Baby open. When it debuted, it was the first time many New Yorkers could try certain dishes from Bangkok, like a raw shrimp salad. Eater critic Robert Sietsema particularly recommends the curries and whole fish options there. Now, Thammasat runs the restaurant with her nephew Polpat Klongkhayam, daughter Ayada Thammasat, and her sisters. Though people have approached the family to expand in the past, this is the first time the restaurant will be growing. It’s a particular win for Chelsea, which has few stand-out Thai options right now. Eater has reached out to Ayada. Expect it to open before the end of the year." - Serena Dai
