Pad See Ew from Ridgewood Thai

We’ve been kind of lazy with food shopping recently, which is something that tends to happen whenever the seasons change. Casseroles are just around the corner, but it’s not quite cold enough yet. So, in honor of our laziness, let’s talk for a moment about food delivery. If you live in Ridgewood, you probably do a fair amount of cooking; Ridgewood is full of young couples and families with young kids, and home-cooked meals are a way of life. Not surprisingly, there’s also fewer food-delivery options in the ‘wood than in many other parts of the city. Yes, everywhere from the corner bodega masquerading as a burger joint (see “A word about Gates Burger,” below) to the Peruvian hole-in-the-wall says they deliver, but when it’s 9pm and we’re tired and hungry, we want something fast and dependable. One place we like for delivery — at least for some things — is Ridgewood Thai. It’s one of only two Thai places in the ‘wood; the other one is really, really, really gross. Sorry, but it is.

Located just off Myrtle at Forest & Stephen Streets, Ridgewood Thai opened about a year ago. Weird fact: the same people run Talent I, Talent II, and V{IV}, all in Manhattan. It’s got minimalist black & white decor and a chandelier and actually has a really nice street view if you sit by the window, but we prefer it as a delivery option. Why? Well, frankly, if we’re going to go out for Thai, we’re heading to Woodside or Elmhurst. But sometimes we crave a night of rom-coms and Americanized Thai food ordered online, and Ridgewood Thai satisifes. Our go-to dish is pad see ew, which is best here with beef, vegetarian duck, or tofu & vegetables (tip: ask for the tofu to be fried, because otherwise it’s just sauteed and sort of mushy). Don’t get the squid, because it’s these weird rubbery tubes that are scored in a criss-cross pattern and uniformly shaped. Pad Thai is also good, though to be clear, it’s not the fish sauce–y, dry, authentic kind — but it’s flavorful nonetheless, and we enjoy it. Be sure to request a lime wedge on the side, because they don’t always include one. Whichever noodle you choose, the portions are enormous. Spring rolls complement the meal nicely. They’re a little less flavorful than you’d expect (they’re missing mushrooms), but they’re huge and still get the job done. The tom yum soup is rich and tasty, though there’s tough lemongrass dispersed throughout the broth and it’s difficult to get a bite without it.

Spring rolls from Ridgewood Thai

Now the negatives: More a complaint about Thai restaurants in general, but why the over-packaging? For non-soup items like noodles, why can’t they use Chinese-food containers instead of plastic? Oddly enough, spring rolls from Ridgewood Thai are packaged in a red paper bag that says “Chinese Food” in quirky lettering, so clearly they’re not against Chinese-food packaging. Also, Ridgewood Thai suffers from what we call “Ridgewood Complex” — basically, prices are as high as you’d find in Manhattan. This is common in the ‘wood, and we’re not sure why. And finally, if you order a lunch special from Ridgewood Thai, they give you a bottle of water. We’d actually prefer no beverage and thus a cheaper overall price, but if they’re set on including a beverage, they should really offer soda. We really loathe bottled water.

“Gates Burger”

So that’s Ridgewood Thai. Admittedly, we order the same thing every time, so please leave a comment if you recommend something else on the menu! Are their curries acceptable? It’d be great if we could mix it up now and then!

A word about Gates Burger:

During our search for other Ridgewood-area restaurants that offer online ordering, we came across a place called “Gates Burger,” which offers “American, Smoothies and Juices, Hamburgers.” Wha? Its name gave us visions of Five Guys or GoodBurger or sadly even Shake Shack. But then we walked by, and no, it appears to be a cat bodega. Online reviews of Ridgewood Burger are sparse but positive. I know lots of unassuming bodegas and delis prepare hot food like burgers, chicken wings, and fries, but to actually offer online ordering and secure the gatesburger.com domain suggests a level of quality and service that does not seem possible from a place that mainly sells beer and 25-cent snack cakes. Maybe we’re wrong and it’s great, but we’re not really willing to find out. Has anyone actually ordered from this place? Do tell!

UPDATE: We walked by again and went inside this time. There is no mention of Gates Burger, or even burgers, anywhere on the premises. They only have a small selection of Boar’s Head products. Are they using the storefront as a business address while some grandma makes amazing burgers from her home kitchen? Or are they just scamming us? We’re guessing the latter, but we want to know for sure!

** Read our update about Gates Burger here **

Ridgewood Thai

72-04 Forest Avenue [map]
718-418-7717
www.dgewoodthai.com

“Gates Burger”

17-01 Gates Avenue [map]
347-725-5082
www.gatesburger.com