Josephine L.
Yelp
I love the West Village, but it's about as diverse as a NASCAR stadium. So when I saw glowing reviews for Chada, I'll admit I was...skeptical. This isn't the 'hood for quality Thai food--I feared the worst.
Well, I gladly withdraw that skepticism. Chada is not quite among embedded within the city's best Thai spots--but it's close, and that's no easy feat.
- Folded Dumpling: Get this if it's available. The only thing better than a dumpling is a dumpling wrapped with PANDAN SKINS! *Cue drool noises*
- Hat Yai Chicken: Juicy and succulent fried chicken thighs with fried shallots
- Chicken Skin: Didn't get much lemongrass essence, but the kaffir lime was on point, and they didn't skimp on the capsaicin. My half-Jewish friend was convinced her grandma would've devoured the dish
- Kang Kua Lobster Tail: Pricey and not quite worth the price, but the tail was cooked well and the accompanying coconut milk sauce was lovely
- Steamed Bronzino: I can't pass up any variation of this dish at a quality Thai spot. Soft butterflied branzino meat soaked in a delicious, garlicky cabbage and lime broth that you want to swim in--how can you say no?
- Triple Mushroom fried rice: Hits the mark for the fungi lovers with multiple types of shrooms and all the allium seasoning you could want
- Khao Soy: A bit too thick for my liking, but the roasted chicken thigh was crispy and succulent
Last, but not least, we got the classic mango sticky rice and housemade coconut ice-cream for dessert. The ice-cream was good but exactly what you'd expect, the sticky rice...now, here's where Chada sets itself apart from the chaff. It's hard to get this staple right. Most places either skimp on the coconut milk, or use the wrong kind of mango, or most commonly, mess up the sticky rice. Chada did everything correctly, and the result was the most perfect mango sticky rice you'll find outside of Thailand.
Wash it all down with the fruity Last Kiss of Summer or the far superior Butter Corn, which while non-alcoholic, makes up for it by tasting like a corn orgasm (corgasm?). It was so good, I got this twice.
Service was tops, and the spot, while a bit cramped, is beautifully decorated. Prices are unfortunately higher than portion size warrants, but that's the price for broadening the dining landscape in WV, I guess.