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. Owner-chef Duangjai “Kitty” Thammasat and her family (nephew Polpat Klongkhayam, daughter Ayada Thammasat, and her sisters) will open a second outpost in Chelsea Market, taking over Chelsea Thai’s 45-seat space; like the original Queens location, the menu will feature no-holds-barred spicy Thai fare—though shorter—highlighting popular dishes such as the duck Penang curry and papaya salad. Opened a decade ago in Elmhurst, Ayada is widely considered among the top Thai restaurants in the city and was notable for introducing New Yorkers to Bangkok items like a raw shrimp salad; critics have particularly recommended its curries and whole fish options. Though the family has been approached about expanding before, this is their first growth, and the Chelsea outpost is expected to open before the end of the year." - Serena Dai