ZAAB ZAAB
Thai restaurant · Elmhurst
76-04 Woodside Ave, Queens, NY 11373
Highlights
Fiery Isan Thai fare & seafood with novel dishes and organ meats.
Fiery Isan Thai fare & seafood with novel dishes and organ meats.
"The two-block stretch in Elmhurst that’s home to Khao Kang and Ayada is an intimidating place to open a Thai restaurant. But Zaab Zaab, an Isan Thai spot serving dishes packed with lots of chilies, herbs, and lemongrass, holds its own and then some. The menu is broken up into a bunch of different sections (grilled, fish, som tum, etc.), and you should treat it like an urgent checklist. Get the juicy larb with crispy duck skin and bits of chewy liver, and be sure to have a hot pot in the middle of your table. If you’re a party of six or more, you can call for a reservation, otherwise, stop by with one other person and grab a table on the little astroturf patio." - bryan kim, arden shore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore
"The original Elmhurst location for what’s becoming a mini-empire, Zaab Zaab offers compelling Thai cuisine from chef Kannika Moi Kittipinyovath for lunch and dinner. Don’t miss dishes like larb ped udon that boasts not only minced duck, but also tidbits of skin and liver, making the dish multi-textured and delightfully rich and spicy, spiked with a healthy dose of chiles. There’s also a papaya salad with pickled black crab, which adds crunch and a funky flavor." - Melissa McCart
"This is the original (and most fun) Zaab Zaab location, the Thai restaurant from Bryan Chunton that focuses on Isan dishes out in Elmhurst. Choose among items like duck larb, roasted tilapia, and gai yang vichean buri whole chicken, which is roasted and grilled and served with papaya salad. Good to know: In addition to other Zaab Zaab locations around the city, there’s the Zaab Burger stand — serving Thai smash burgers — on the Lower East Side." - Emma Orlow
"While the city has enjoyed a rich collection of Isan restaurants from the northeastern section of Thailand bordering the Mekong River, Zaab Zaab plunges deeper with novel dishes and organ meats galore. Located amidst Elmhurst’s thriving Thai Town in a small, colorful space, Zaab Zaab’s menu includes duck larb, roasted tilapia, and tom hang — a steamed assortment of cow tripe, spleen, and intestine with two dipping sauces. There are now several locations throughout the city: from Flushing to Williamsburg. On the Lower East Side, the team operates an offshoot Zaab Burger stand." - Eater Staff
"A Thai Elmhurst spot followed the trend by opening a Thai burger stand in the Lower East Side’s Essex Street Market, drawing some criticism online for its similarity to earlier Thai-style burger concepts." - Melissa McCart
