Location: 761 9th Ave
Time: 1:30pm
People: Laura and myself
Feelings: I go out to restaurants for the purpose of trying out good flavors and usually nothing more. But sometimes, especially when I'm catching up with my dear friends, food itself does not really matter although as a food blogger that is difficult to say. I almost don't want to taste the spectacular. I would rather concentrate on the conversation, and the good, complex flavor would really distract my attention. Laura and I often meet for weekday lunch and catch up on whatever that is going on in our lives. Today, we met up at one of many Thai restaurants on bustling 9th Avenue, Chanpen.
They have excellent lunch specials, mostly around $7-$9, that come with delicious appetizers. Our vegetarian spring rolls were crispy and tasty, but our Pad See Ew and Pad Khi Mao were excessively salty. I make it a rule to never leave noodles on a plate, but I had to leave some this time.
The great thing about this place is their bottomless Thai tea, which is the hot version of ever popular Thai iced tea (sans cream). They would run up and refill this delightful tea after every sip. The service at many Thai places on 9th Avenue tend to be non-existent, but the waitstaff at Chanpen are extremely courteous and friendly. The dining area is also quite spacious and clean, and I felt comfortable and luxurious throughout the meal.
Although the food might not be exceptional, it is a great place to catch up with your girl friends while sipping some warm Thai tea. Great conversations, tea, and fantastic service-when all these elements come together, you sometimes cannot ask for more.
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2 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. The 'food' component just doesn't do it for me as before (I used to drag my parents/friends to different exotic restaurants when I was still an omnivore). I've encountered too many disappointments by now. So, when I meet with friends, it could just be a grab and go from Whole Foods and dine al fresco at Union Square and I'd be a happy camper. It's the company that matters the most to me now.
Sorry to hear about the salty dish though. Oversalted is my main pet peeve.
Yep it's so true-- I've also encountered too many disappointments. I usually don't write about it, but there are so many out there.
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