"Their Pad See-ew is off the chain (exceptional for all you non-ebonic…"
(in 4 reviews)
"that's how good it is, and I love the basil fried rice too."
(in 4 reviews)
Loading...
Am-Thai Chili Basil
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Kensington
359 McDonald Avenue
(between Caton Ave & Albemarle Rd)
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 871-9115
359 McDonald Avenue
(between Caton Ave & Albemarle Rd)
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 871-9115
- Nearest Transit:
-
Church Ave (F)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
26 reviews for Am-Thai Chili Basil
Review Highlights
Loading...
Deeeeelicious.
I am still tearing up over the spicy pineapple curry I inhaled a few minutes ago. I do love a spicy bowl of "pineapply" and "coconutty" goodness from time to time. It cost $8.50, and while a tad more expensive than other Thai places I frequent, it was well worth it.
The big chunks of pineapple soak up some of the sauce. So when you bite into one, it is a quick combo of tasty juice followed by a quick kick in the ass of spice.
Mixed into this mess include white rice, carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, chicken, and coconut.
Have a big glass of water ready.
The locale is nothing special. It is a small dingy looking store that is built for take out orders. It is walking distance from the F train's Church Ave stop.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (5)
I ordered from here and it wasn't that great. I found it to be kind of greasy and took a while to get my order. The help seemed nice and I guess its cool that you can see them cooking your food right there but the food just wasn't that great so I probably won't be ordering from here again.
really great Thai food! we don't have many choices in Kensington, but Am-Thai is a gem! If you are vegetarian the Mock Duck Salad is delicious! My friends who eat meat order this dish! that's how good it is, and I love the basil fried rice too! Tasty! I have been ordering from here for years..I remember when it was a bubble tea shop. It was the first good restaurant in the neighborhood, and still the only one! unfortunately we are seriously deprived out here in Kensington. Always friendly and quick delivery. Highly recommended.
Passed by this place every day on my walk to/from the train station, had read the Yelp reviews, and finally decided to take the plunge last week.
The chili-basil fried rice with chicken was really tasty, but the portion left a bit to be desired. Service was speedy.
I will definitely return to see what else is on the menu that's good, and potentially add to my weekend takeout cycle of Mr. Tong, Yummy Taco, and Korner Pizza!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
At last there is edible Thai in Brooklyn. Off the Church Avenue F station rests tiny, modest AM Thai Chili Basil Kitchen, a monument to Bangkok (and some southern) Thai cooking. The menu accordians out from your waste to the floor when opened, and the dishes cover both sides. They run through all the normal favorites, some AM specialties, and many new items I have neither tasted in Thai restaurants here nor in my three months in the country.
With two small tables inside and one diner-style booth outside, this place is mainly delivery and takeout, which is further proved by the line of plastic bags always ready to fly out the door en route to somewhere in the neighborhood. On a night in early summer of 2008, I picked up a couple dishes with a friend to take back to her place. Immediately when we started opening the packaging, the aromas came out unlike the normal overly-sweetened smells of Manhattan and Brooklyn Thai restaurants. It took only a few bites to realize that Brooklyn had its first authentic place to call its own.
Recently I decided to sample a few more items during multiple meals, to enjoy more of what was on offer and prove that its deliciousness was not some fluke. As always, the first test of any Thai is its som tom ($5). This papaya salad was not as firey with its spices as I would have liked, but had all the right combinations of salty, sour, and sweet that it should.
After my initial visit, AM had gotten some good press, including a review in the Voice by our man Sietsema bowing down to the awesome coconut milks in many of the dishes. I wanted to try the tom kha gai ($4) soup that he praised, and was no less than blown away. This dish also had just the right combinations of sour and sweet, and was potently spicy, getting my mouth sufficiently tingling. The plastic spoons on offer were just not large enough to scoop enough of the milky broth, so I started emptying the bowl into my mouth with my hands. I vowed to bring my own large spoon on my next visit.
I had never tried anything like the hot pot dumplings ($4 for 4), but was an immediate fan of the vegetarian appetizer. Filled with sweet radish, but tasting mostly of the ground peanut, this seemed like a creative twist on many other peanut-based sauces, but this time stuffed into a chewy and moist cover.
After lunch, I returned in the evening to verify that the curry was good, and was just as impressed with the Panang curry ($8.50) as I had hoped.
The women working here do everything they can to make you happy. On this visit I sat inside and we chatted quite a bit with both present. The cook kept shouting from behind the shelves, asking us if everything was good or too spicy. With our mouths full, we kept responding that everything was just perfect.
And given the location, it was perfect. I hope this becomes a new trend through the city, tiny almost hawker stall holes in the wall serving honest, authentic Thai.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
This place came highly recommended by my brother who eats there almost every week.
There are only one or two tables inside; so it is tough to call this place a restaurant; more of a kitchen really.
Facilities were clean and you could see the cooking area. Seemed like the entire family of the owner was hanging out on Sunday.
My Drunken Noodle entree was tasty, not enormously large but an ample sized portion.
Slightly on the expensive side for Thai food; but not egregiously so.
Look forward to trying more dishes when I return to NY.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
A resounding WTF(reak)!?!? This place is not what everyone says it is. We got food to stay, which is clearly not what this place was designed for. Definitely a to-go joint. Seriously, don't get it to stay.
The Pad Thai was fine. Nothing too fancy or special. This mediocrity continued in the other dishes as well.
Service was friendly... so best of luck.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
The best thai food I have ever eaten! Great veggie options for us herbivores as well. Staff is very sweet and service is speedy. What more could you want? Drunken noodles and siam rice with tofu are where its at.
Dude, I love this place. It was the best thing about moving to Kensington when I first came to New York- great Thai food delivered to your door that isn't pure grease. When I moved out of the neighborhood I was so excited they still delivered to my area.
Being take out and delivery there is really no "atmosphere" to speak of. They are prompt and always nice on the phone. If they forget something (which has only happened twice in the four years I have been ordering from there) they will bring it to you no questions asked.
The menu has a great range but stay away from the friend calamari- just doesn't travel well. I love the Curry Puffs which are like crispy samosas filled with potato and ground chicken a nice spicey sweet sauce comes on the side for you to dip. The Am Thai rolls are very crisp and delicious with crunchy cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots served with the same sweet spicy sauce.
I love their curries- all dishes done well with coconut milk and just the right hit of spice- you don't see a layer of that orange grease on top of these dishes. I love their tom yum ghai (sp?) soup as well. The note sof ginger and heat make a nice sweet and sour broth.
I have eaten almost everything on this menu and for a period of time I called so often they knew my voice and what I would order (I even got accustomed to saying "1 A as in Apple"). I highly recommend if you are lucky enough for them to deliver to you!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Hmm. Maybe I didn't get the right thing. Maybe my love of Pad See Ew and Pad Thai is founded in my unrefined palate and a lack of knowledge of "real" Thai food.
Those are the two things I get at every Thai place the first time I try it, and Am-Thai's version of these were each a big plate of mehhhh.
Because it's so close to 2B Thai, geographically and price-ically, I can't help but compare the two. Where 2B's Beef See Ew is hearty and savory, the same plate at Am-Thai is stringy and soupy. 2B's Pad Thai is nutty and savory. Am-Thai's was kind of buttery and bland.
Since I used the word "meh" in my review, I feel obligated to give the place two stars, but the dumplings - the steamed jeeb-thai dumplings - were out of site. And they have nice web site.
Relatively speaking, this is the inferior Thai place in Kensington.
But if it were the *only* place in Kensington, I'd probably eat here twice a week. So it's like that, I guess.
i like this place because it feels like you're sitting in mom's kitchen, kids doing homework and two busy ladies cooking up a veritable storm. they are the queens of multitasking one nod to the antsy young one conveys a message, "knock it off" or to the young lady, "do your homework" while the hustle and bustle of stirring and pots clanging, my time waiting for takeaway has elapsed in a nanosecond.
to me this place has a lot of yeses and nos.
some nos: fried rice, am thai roti and an adamant no- is the chive dumpling.
some yeses: massaman curry, red curry, and pad see-eu.
and some inbetweens.
the yeses outweigh the nos.
and they create new dishes regularly; i like that about this place.
::::::::o.k. better leave before mom makes me wash the pots and pans!:::::::
People thought this was:
- Useful (7)
- Funny (9)
- Cool (9)
Okay, I don't throw 5 stars around lightly.
This place is awesome. The best Thai food in this neighborhood, which makes it the best food in this dining-deprived neighborhood. (Which is to say a neighborhood where the only edible food comes from the three competing Thai restaurants) Honestly it's arguably the best Thai food in NY.
I say arguably, because you have to know what you're going in for. This is street-style food, cranked out of a cramped, kitchen, smaller than the one in my apartment.
No it's not a restaurant it's a kitchen.
You can sit, if the weather's nice, at a beat-up table curbside, if you don' t mind the noise and the bus fumes. Even though I live half a block away, I still do this occasionally just because it seems to be such an authentic experience. Though I have not travelled to Thailand, I imagine the cities packed with home-cooking nooks just like Am Thai; where a lively family cranks out delectable traditional dishes as there children laugh and play practically under your feet.
Sweet and spicy and crunchy and fresh and tender and crispy. All of the contrasts that make Thai food so exhilarating... to go.
Go there, take out, or eat in for a "genuine experience".
Having eaten there about 50 times I recommend, curry puffs, drunken man noodles and crispy duck.
The best thai food I have ever eaten outside of Thailand. OK I have never been to Thailand, but if I had, I think the food would be just as good.
I love their pad thai (it's huge) and they have a great assortment of appetizers, soups, and salads. Definitely try the AM Thai Roti appetizer, it's kickass. The Bangkok Woonsen and the Laarb are my recent favorites. You also can't go wrong with the coffee or tea.
The vegetables are always fresh and everything I get is always yummy and luckily not too oily. I think the fact that they don't offer seating is a plus. It allows them to focus on the cooking, and not deal with waiter/waitress service. It definitely shows in the quality and flavor of the food.
They also have yummy banana desserts. I agree with the other reviewer that all they are missing is the ability to accept CCs! A+ for this place.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Amazing food, Humble People, you can't go wrong. I order from Am-Thai kitchen at least once a week and I'm usually never dissapointed. They have a nice selection of apps, fried rices, and curry's. The Duck rock and roll is def one to try, the veggie chive and the pad dry curry is banging. Only complaint is with the lack of desserts other than that give it a go.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
The physical location is a hole in the wall, I've only ever ordered take out or delivery, but the food is delicious. While it's not quite as spicy as actual Thai food, it's close enough to have a kick.
The best dishes are the noodle dishes, Pad Ki-Mow (drunken noodles) and Pad See-Ew are both excellent, and I recently found out they make great Khao Soi as well. If you're there in person they're very friendly, but I've found ordering on the phone can be a little difficult if it's busy, especially if you're far away.
The only real complaint I can come up with is that the Tom Kha Gai is very mild, and doesn't have nearly enough fish sauce in it. Everything else I've had from AM Thai has been better than any other Thai place in Park Slope/Windsor Terrace. I wish I could try more of their menu, but I can't bring myself to order anything but the drunken noodles.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
A life-saver for delivery in this neighborhood. Good pad see-ew, ginger vegetables with shrimp, massaman curry, and my roommate raves about their rice pudding!
Good thai food in the US means not loaded with sugar, and having plenty of strong spices, lime, ginger, etc, and they score well here. Delicious, fast, and cheap.
We ordered a delivery, they took our address, I had to say it slowly three times...30 minutes later, no food. I called back and they said please repeat your address...waited again, still no food...the delivery guy called me, asked where I live, I gave my address for the 5th time, again, very slowly...he could never find my house, so 40 minutes later, they have food going to waste and I'm here looking for a new place to eat, hungry and annoyed.
really good food. the drawback is that you cant eat it there. but i think it's the best thai food ive had.
the am thai roti and the BBQ chicken wings are two of my favorites
i forget what it's called but the fried rice with seafood is excellent too
5 stars!!
(i wish they took CC's!)
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
I'm down with these folks. They take care of me. I don't just want a drunken man, I want a drunken man made quickly. I want it to be fresh. I want it to be 7 on a spicy scale. I want it inexpensive. I want it with a smile.
DONE!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Hands down, this might be the best Thai food I've devoured in my whole existence. Although I haven't been to Thailand, it's one my goals to go soon! This is a super-tiny restaurant where there really isn't dine in unless if you're nice to the owner. They are great and it's a staple in my area! Oh, but wait (sounding like an infomercial), you'll never guess who goes here! Not to name drop or anything, but I will...Jessica Alba. Yes people, there is a picture of the owner and her on the wall.
Things to order here seem to be never ending, but I will highly suggest the following and be prepared to be blown away. I barely rave about New York restaurants, but I do believe this place is neck and neck with River Kwai (which closed down in Chicago)! The shrimp with avocado in panang curry hits the spot and tingles your buds with the perfect spice.
The Thai iced coffee is the best I've had in my life. Tops River Kwai two-fold in this area. I know...I must be fibbing, but I'm not! Their Pad See-ew is off the chain (exceptional for all you non-ebonic speakers)! I promise, you will not be disappointed if you come here. They deliver, but do not have a website setup yet. If you want dine in, they have a location that caters to this in Carroll Gardens.
Oh, if you happen to come here during lunch M-F, they're only 5 bucks! I would love to see this place stick around since it's the only good place in Kensington. It's dive places like this that make me appreciate true cuisine cooking!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Love it! Appetizers are delish! I'm slowly trying to order everything on the menu (one at a time) but there is to many options and some things are too good to not repeat! It's a lovely family hole-in-the-wall kitchen, but the food is really flavorful and you get good portions for the price.
very tasty green curry chicken and they have a huge selection of food
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
YUMMY!!! I love their tom ga soup, thai tea is delicious but a little over priced. (2.75) But their shrimp pai thai is YUMMERS and their pineapple fried chicken is a tasty treat. I love pretty much everything they make here, have always been a satisfied customer.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
An impressive array of Thai dishes for a place that only delivers (or you can pick up too), since the space they occupy constitutes nothing more than a kitchen. I've tried several dishes, including the Duck Thai herbal (very spicey), the Pad Thai, papaya salad (Som Tom), and the fried tofu, all of which were really yummy. On a frigid winter night, when going outside isn't at all appealing, it's nice that there's a good Thai restaurant that delivers, and usually in a timely fashion.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Varies considerably based on who is cooking, sometimes its great sometimes it's not so hot. highly variable. When it's good, it's great, though!
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Cool (2)
The food is great and the owners' kids are adorable. It's a small place with limited seating but they do deliver. It's pretty low-key but the lights strung across the banner add a touch of class on warmer nights. Eat the food while it's hot and top it off with a drink from their menu.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
