Authentic Thai soul w/ bold flavors & creative cocktails. Standout dishes incl. crispy pork belly & tender short ribs. Vegan options avail.
This Thai eatery is a standout in Midtown East, offering a consistently above-average dining experience with bold flavors and well-crafted dishes. While some reviews suggest it might be highly rated due to local competition, many patrons find its authentic Thai soul, delicious cocktails, and inviting ambiance perfect for various occasions, from casual meals to date nights. The restaurant also notably offers vegan options and outdoor seating.
The cuisine is primarily Thai, with some reviews noting Chinese-Thai influences. Standout dishes include the Ghang Phed duck, Royal Pad Thai with large shrimp, crispy pork belly, and Panang Short Rib. While the pad thai was described as 'not the best,' portions are large and reasonably priced. The restaurant also offers delicious cocktails, vegan options, and is known for its tender short ribs and perfectly executed khao kha moo and kra pao moo sup.
"Highly recommended dishes include the Ghang Phed duck, Royal Pad Thai, crispy pork belly, Panang Short Rib, khao kha moo, and kra pao moo sup. The chicken satay and Thai iced tea are also praised."
Customers generally praise the authentic Thai flavors, good service, and creative cocktails, making it a favorite for both quick meals and dining out. Some debate its ranking against top-tier Thai, but it's widely considered a strong option in its area.
Important Note
Some reviewers suggest the restaurant's high ratings might be partly due to the generally lower quality of dining options in the immediate Midtown East area. One user found the pork belly appetizer to be overly crispy and flavorless, contrary to popular opinion.
"This user likes that some Thai places, like Charoen Krung, allow substituting multigrain brownberry rice for white rice in their fried rice."
Positive"This user agreed that the restaurant's high ratings might be due to the generally lower quality of dining options in the immediate area. They found the pad kee mao to be decent."
Neutral"This user pushed back on criticism of their own review, stating that it was not overly critical to find the highly recommended dishes, like the pork belly, to be disappointing due to being too crispy and flavorless. They did, however, concede that the pad kee mao was decent."
Negative"Responding to context about local competition, this user reiterated their strong support for the khao kha moo and kra pao moo sup, stating their versions are excellent."
Positive"This commenter believes the restaurant is highly rated because it competes with very basic eateries in Midtown. While considering it good for the area and price, they don't see it as comparable to top-tier Thai food found elsewhere. They also suggested nearby Indian and Japanese options."
Positive"The user found Charoen Krung Thai to be the best Thai option in Midtown East, although they noted that other local options are not very good. They suspect the restaurant specializes in Chinese-Thai dishes and highlighted the pork belly appetizer and basil pork as standouts, along with a good Thai iced tea."
Positive"Charoeng Krung is listed among several recommendations for good takeout or quick meal options."
Positive"Their favorite Thai place to order from near their office; it's fast and good."
Positive"A consistently above-average Thai restaurant with good flavors, drinks, and service."
Positive"They question the high review scores and suggest the possibility of incentivized reviews."
Neutral"The pad thai wasn't the best they've had, but the portions were large and reasonably priced."
Neutral"Compared to Lenox Thai and Up Thai when deciding where to order Thai food from."
Neutral"Beli app gave it a 7.8 rating with 2k reviews, indicating it's a decent Thai place, but not extraordinary."
Neutral"Charoen Krung Thai"
Neutral
