Last Monday I was joined by my husband and best friend to enjoy gorgeous Thai food at Paper Co downtown where they were hosting a two evening sold out pop up restaurant to celebrate NYC Chef Hong Thaimee’s amazing talents and release of her new cookbook True Thai: Real Flavors for Every Table.
She was visiting all the way from her restaurant in East Village in New York City. We were honored to be apart of it!
Only eight years ago Hong moved to NYC and secured a position at JeanGeorges restaurant working in the kitchen. This was her dream come true! She had absolutely no experience and trained as an apprentice for six months.
Hong was an ambitious career woman raised in chiang mai, northern Thailand. Initially starting her career as a model and TV personality before moving to New York to chase her dreams. She remembers being told when she joined JeanGeorge the importance of ensuring she has the right knife set, so instantly invested in a sharp knives set which was top of the range! All prepared she went the extra mile and learnt all the French cooking terms to ensure no miscommunication in the kitchen. It must have been a steep learning curve.
She now owns the critically acclaimed number one thai food restaurant voted in 2014 called Ngam. If you’re in NYC, you should check it out!
The delicious nine course menu we enjoyed is listed below! Your mouth will be watering reading it for sure…. Please remember all these recipes can be found in her new cookbook.
miang kham
This is a traditional Thai snack. Great starter which mixes tons of flavors. With each bite tasting different from the last. Green leaves with various ingredients mixed together like chopped ginger, Thai chile and peanuts.
pomelo salad
A great pallet cleanser. Pomelo is similar to a grapefruit but much larger and sweeter. Within the light salad was lime, coconut and lemongrass.
khao soy
This is a great combination of flavours and textures – the creamy curry sauce and egg noodles with a dash of pickled mustard and lime is beautiful. The sauce was perfect not too thick but a great consistency.
sai ooa (our favourite dish)
Staple of northern Thai cuisine. This is a mixed pork seasoned with herbs and chiles stuffed. Perfect when mixed with the sesame sticky rice. The pork was ridiculously tender and tasted amazing.
hung lay curry
This is is one of the legend signature dishes of northern Thailand.
braised chicken (chefs favourite)
I can understand why this is Hongs favourite dish, it had the right amount of spice to enjoy.
laab pork
One of the spicer dishes of the evening it certainly woke up my palette.
ab pla
I’m a huge fan of salmon and this was cooked to perfection. This is a northern Thai-style grilled fish in banana leaves.
sesame sticky rice
I tried not to be greedy with this dish but it was stunning the right amount of coconut, texture and sweetness that complimented each dish, especially the spicier ones my mouth couldn’t handle, like the laab pork.
Before desert she came out, quite shy and softly spoken as she went on to say she ‘loves nothing more than cooking good food. Everything I cook I feel love. This book is a dream come true. It’s a passion and its love… Pursue your dreams and be who you want to be. Don’t give up you’ll get there.’
True Thai, Real Flavors for Every Table, by Hong Thaimee can now be purchased and retails for $35 US and is available in bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, and specialty stores such as Williams-Sonoma nationwide.
After tasting her delicious meals I have made a promise to my husband I will be using the cookbook to attempt a meal … Will let you know how that goes!
Have a look online for more pop up chefs taking over spaces in Houston! I will definitely be doing this again.