RHONG-TIAMSINCE 1998
KEY TO OUR SUCCESS ISFRESH, ORGANIC,GLUTEN FREE (option), HEALTHY,AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD& ASIAN FLAIR.002 | Key to our Success
Key to our Success | 003
004 | Contentour Historyexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants010Kiosk /Grab & Gounsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants006Location /Future Location& Factoryexperience that is unsurpassed014Sourceexperience that is unsurpassed008Recomended Dishexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants009About usexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants005Chef Profileexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants012Truck & Cartexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants007
AboutUsPackaging Designexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants028Interior Designexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants030RHONG-TIAMIdentity Designnsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants026pressexperience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants016About us | 005© RHONG-TIAM is a food experience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants. At RHONG RHONG-TIAM is a food experience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants. At RHONG RHONG-TIAM is a food experience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants. At RHONG RHONGRHONG-TIAM is a food experience that is unsurpassed by mainstream Thai restaurants. At RHONG-TIAM we offer diverse and authentic food using only FRESH ORGANIC and GLUTEN FREE ingredients where the ingredients are available.
KIOSK /GRAB & GORHONG-TIAM has a very large menu and it’s menu consist of many grab & go item which can be implement into a smaller space which food can be produce in a very fast and effective way. We have been doing research and taste it on real life. As our pad thai cart is 10 feet by 6 fee which we produce more than 1000 meal in a hours see picture. Our Satay cart and Empanadas Kiosk in Time Square also been producing Healthy Empanadas (samosa alike) in the most busiest street on Earth in front of Toy R Us Time Square NYC.006 | KIOSK / GRAB & GO
Truck& Cartburgerweekly Choice Streets2013: RHONG-TIAM Supreme BurgerTruck“If you see this Supreme Burger Truck on the street, give it a whirl. The burgers are seriously tasty, and even the empanadas are worth trying. And if you get the chance, hit up Choice Streets next year.”timeout RHONG-TIAM Express“Sliders made from basil-infused Wagyu beef atop brioche rolls, roti wraps with various fillings (including curry beef and lemongrass chicken), plus salads and soups. Pair your meal with a smoothie, fresh-squeezed juice or Lavazza espresso.”nymagRHONG-TIAM Express“With a to-go counter and a handful of seats off to the side. Owner Andy Yang hopes to reproduce the model all around town, and he’s hoping to succeed in the “Asian burrito” realm.”complexRHONG-TIAM Express“For lunch, you’re going to want a roti, the easily-portable fried tube of meat a n d v e g e t a b l e s RHONG-TIAM excels at. The crispy basil pork, packed with onion, bell pepper, fresh basil sauce, and pork that pops on the palate is what you need.”gabandgobble One of the most popular trucks at Choice Streets“It was pretty good It reminded me, in taste and texture, of Shake Shack burgers, which are very enjoyable indeed.”Truck & Cart | 007
t RHONG-TIAM we promote healthy eating yet uncompromised in flavors. We promoted HEALTHY living and HEALTHY eating. That’s why we only use the highest and freshest grade of ingredient we can acquire. We source our ingredients from the best proveyor in town eg Dartagnan, Pat La frieda, Prime food distributors. Also working with local farms. We are one of the few restaurants that prepare curry using 100 percent coconut cream. Our goal is to have a restaurant through-out the country locally and globally, so we can promote HEALTHY eating to all the citizens of the world. RHONG-TIAM wanted to bring Michelin star meals for everyone at an accessible outlet. Chef Andy Yang believes that everyone should eat good HEALTHY quality food without having to spend more money on the service or decore ofthe restaurant itself.Organic ingredient Organic ingredient Organic ingre- dient Organic ingredient Organic ingredient.Source 008 | Source
Tom Yum GoongDon’t judge the book by it’s cover, aromatic yet subtle lemongrass infusion, with a hint of kaffir lime and bird eye chili.PAD THAITofu, pickle turnip, shallot, white cabbage, chili paste, tamarind jus, fresh lime, chili, rice noodle, organic egg, toasted peanut and a protein of your choice.KAO SOI BRAISED CHICKENBraised organic chicken tight, egg noodle, crispy noodle and a condiment of chili paste oil house pickled cabbage and half boiled organic egg (67degree), in an aromatic curry broth.Source | 009Recommended DishWe promotedHEALTHYliving andHEALTHYeating
OurHistoryRHONG-TIAM was founded by CHEF ANDY YANG in 2008. Chef Yang opened his first location in a small secluded space on Laguardia place in Greenwich village. Within a very short period of time, it became a true destination restaurant, receiving rave reviews from the New York Times as well as from various food bloggers and now has a massive cult following. After receiving a Michelin Star in 2010 from New York City, an expansion was in order, with locations now in Texas, China, Japan, UAE & Canada coming soon.010 | Our HistoryRHONG-TIAM is the first Thai Restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin Star.
t RHONG-TIAM, Chef Yang endeavors to serve his guests the authentic QUALITY, ORGANIC AND GLUTEN FREE Thai food, which the real Thai people eat & enjoy. Chef Yang, never compromises nor sacrifices on the process of his cooking and the freshness of his ingredients. We use fresh coconut milk, which is unique to RHONG-TIAM for our curries, as well as, fresh Thai Herbs imported only for RHONG-TIAM. The Key to RHONG-TIAM’S Mission of serving the best quality of HEALTHY, ORGANIC & GLUTEN FREE Thai food is in our name. RHONG-TIAM means an inn, the traditional center of hospitality. In the ancient Asian Language, an inn would combine a space for rest and relaxation with the most authentic and noteworthy food of the province in which it was located. We remain true to that spirit and our roots by offering the most authentic Thai Food.
NDY YANG, founder and executive chef of RHONG-TIAM, holds an MBA but gained his true education from his family. His great grandmother was a cook to the King of Thailand and passed down a wealth of culinary knowledge to her family.It was Chef Yang’s mother who inspired him to cook and taught him, side by side, the proper and traditional methods of authentic Thai cooking as well as a wealth of ancient recipes.012 | Chef Profile
Andy’s father opened restaurants in Thailand and Hong Kong, which are known for serving rare dishes not to be found elsewhere. Since moving to America in 1997, Chef Yang has brought the philosophy to New york City. At RHONG-TIAM, he serves authentic Thai dishes, the likes of which are rarely seen outside of Southeast Asia. Spice and strong flavors are his trademarks.Chef Yang deftly balances the spice, sweet, salty, and tart elements of Thai cuisine to offer an experience that is completely unique while always remaining loyal to tradition. It is hard to find a cook that shared his passion and knows how to truly handle an authentic Thai kitchen. So every Chef D cuisine that will be or already have been working with and for Chef Yang’s in his kitchen has to go through extensive training in Yang’s kitchen in Thailand for years before he/she qualified to be working as a Chef d’cuisine for Chef Yang kitchen around the world.Chef Profile | 013A Michelin star chef
RHONG-TIAM currently h a s m u l t i p l e o u t l e t s micromanaged by Chef Andy Yang and his management team which Chef Andy Yang is always hands on please see below a successful existing locations and future locations RHONG-TIAM currently serving 11 outlets world wide notincluding it’s sister’s restaurants. And 9 more until across the globe is under construction.660 Plainsboro Rd., Plainsboro town ship NJ USA1901 North Shepherd DriveHouston TX USA166 8th avenue New York NY USA31 East 21 Street New York NY USA331 Lexinton Ave. New York NY USA127 W 56 Street New York NY USA129 E 63 Street New York NY USAAl-Wasl Rd., Wasl Vital MallDubai U.A.E14 Ramkhamhang Rd.,Bangkok Thailand34 A Shibuya Street, Tokyo JapanMGM Grand Hong KongLocation014 | Location 3-72-3112234567891011FutureLocation& Factory1
Future Location & Factory | 015810112015-2017Quebec Canada152 Fifth Avenue New York NY USA644 Lexington Avenue New York NY USAParis FranceLondon EnglandMilan ItalyChiang Mai ThailandChiang Rai ThailandCentral Embassy Bangkok ThailandSauce factory Bangpli ThailandBottle water factory Bang Na-Trat ThailandShengdong ChinaKhunming China1366255447791212881111101013139
Presscbs New york localNYC Food Truck Lunch:Shrimp Pad Thai FromRHONG-TIAMPerry, the founder of New York Street Food, brings you his latest review on New York City street food.If you like pad thai, that’s all the RHONG-TIAM pad thai cart cooks for lunch. You can get it with chicken, veggies, shrimp, tofu, beef and a few other options. We must warn you, the prices are high, but they serve one of the better versions of pad thai around.There’s a RHONG-TIAM Express restaurant in the Flatiron District, and their cart parks a couple of blocks away, on 5th Ave between 20th & 21st St.016 | PressThe cheapest pad thais here are the veggie, chicken and tofu options at $10 each. From there, it jumps quickly to $15 for wild-caught shrimp or grass-fed beef, and even more for Berkshire pork, squid or Peking duck.If you’re all about food quality, this is the place to get lunch. The shrimp were plump and juicy, although there were only around 6 or so.The rest of the pad thai was good too, with crushed peanuts, scallions, scrambled eggs, bean sprouts and chili powder off to one side to mix in at your option. A wedge of fresh lime was provided to squeeze lime juice over your meal.The flat rice noodles were nice and springy, and you could taste the sweet rice wine in the sauce. There was not a lot of sauce, but what sauce there was held everything together. Even without the chili powder, there was a slight kick to the pad thai.Even though you can get pad thai from food carts in midtown for about $7, it’s not nearly as good as RHONG-TIAM’s. Yes, you pay for the quality, but based on the traffic at the RHONG-TIAM cart, there’s definitely a market for higher quality (and higher priced) pad thai.RHONG-TIAM is the first Thai Restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin Star.
Zagat7 NYC Chains We LoveThe Formula: This mini-chain of affordable Thai restaurants has developed a cult following with authentic cuisine from chef Andy Yang, moving from a flagship in LES (which has since closed) to locations in Gramercy, New Jersey and a few food trucks. They do have standard dishes like pad Thai, but their foodie fans keep going back for deeper dives for goodies like Peking duck larb.Latest Developments: Rhong recently took over the storefront that housed Chelsea Thai joint Room Service on Eighth Avenue. Oh, and if you’re in Dubai and looking for a noodle fix, an outpost will open there by the end of the year.Eat This: The Pork on Fire will ignite five alarms in your mouth, yet you’ll keep gorging until the plate is cleared. The tears falling from your eyes are totally worth it. If vegetarians want to heat things up, check out the Water Spinach on Fire.midtownlunchA Closer Look At the RHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger Truckthe RHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger Truck has been parking at 47th Street and Vanderbilt along with a whole bunch of other food trucks. I finally got the chance on Tuesday to stop by and check it out myself. Interestingly, the full menu painted on the side of the truck is covered up with a few printed copies of a smaller, limited menu. I’m not sure if they’re in a trial phase or if the full menu has already been scaled back, but there are still plenty of options available, including burritos, rice bowls, empanadas, and salads. Given that the truck is named after their “supreme” burgers, I figured that ordering a burger was the way to go.Press | 017cbs New york localRHONG-TIAM Opening Soonin Midtown EastMidtown East will soon get a new dose of Thai food, as the RHONG-TIAM Burger truck is opening a brick and mortar shop on Lexington Ave. and 39th. There’s no word yet on the menu, but by the looks of their website, it’ll be more than just Asian-inspired burgers and will focus on Thai food. So we know very little, but at least we have something new replacing Desi Shack. What do you all think? Excited?
018 | Press Last week when we were in L.A., the RHONG-TIAM Su- preme Burger Truck hit the street. Roberto B, a NYSF reader and avid foodie, agreed to check out the truck for us, and sent in this very descrip- tive Guest Post. Thanks Ro- berto. Now that we’re back in town, we had to check RHONG-TIAM our ourself.Heading down to the Flatiron District yesterday, there was a short-lived threat of rain around lunchtime, and it was pretty quiet at the truck. That sucked for the truck, but did give us a chance to talk to the owner and chef Andy Yang.Andy told us a bit about the food, as well as his plans for world domination. Just kidding about the world domination, but you’ll be seeing much more in the way of RHONG-TIAM trucks and carts very soon, with a variety of menus. We’ll tell you more about that later.Everything on the menu looked interesting, so we decided to get the first thing on the list, General Tso’s Burger for $10.After Roberto raved about the fries, we definitely wanted to check out an order, and there are 3 types. We got the Asian Invasion Fries for $4.The idea of pairing up Korean food with Mexican dishes has been pretty well exhausted at this point, but we haven’t seen anything like the combinations at RHONG-TIAM, which pair mostly Asian toppings and spices with burgers.Top of the list was General Tso’s Burger. Who would have thought that General’s Tso’s sauce and broccoli would go so well on a cheeseburger, but it did.Sweet chili sauce tasted great with the big beef patty and melted American cheese. A few broccoli florets fell out as we ate the burger, but the ones that stayed on the roll added a nice crunch. Broccoli on a burger? Hell yeah!Even though the toppings were interesting, IMHO the star of the show was the burger.Everyone who serves burgers talks about how their beef is grass-fed, organic, angus, wagyu or kobe, antibiotic-free, USDA prime, blah, blah, blah. We’re getting a little sick of all these descriptions. What we want to know is how does it taste?This was one of the best tasting burgers we’ve had in a long time. We asked for medium, and it came out pink in the middle and dripping with juices. (Insert your own joke here. We’re not going there.) The taste of the burger was of high-quality beef.E v e n w i t h a l l t h e s e funky toppings, this was unmistakeably a burger through and through. It was just an Asian burger instead of an American one.Roberto was right, the fries were very good too, and Chef Andy told us his secret – a cooler. No, not Bill Macy, but an actual device that cools the fries when they first come out of the deep fryer. This stops the inside from continuing to cook.After cooling, the fries are plunged into oil a second time, giving them a crispy, well-done exterior, and a soft, steamy interior.This isone of the bestburgers we’ve hadnewyorkstreetfoodVisiting RHONG-TIAM: This Is One Of The Best Burgers We’ve Had
gothamistOur Four Favorite FoodTrucks FromLast Night’sChoice StreetsLem o n g r a s s Chicken Empanada from RHONG-TIAM: This Thai food truck just hit the streets this spring, with three trucks focused on different dishes like burgers and pad thai. The “Supreme Burger Truck” made an appearance last night, but it wasn’t the burger that piqued our taste buds. The rich, intensely flavorful L e m o n g r a s s Chicken Empanada blew the boring burger out of the water with its moist filling of chicken and veggies. The tender and flaky pastry had the perfect balance of richness without being overly filling. R H O N G - T I A M also has several brick-and-mortar locations, so if you have trouble hunting down the truck you’ll have a backup.Press | 019As we said, there are 3 types of fries, and the Asian Invasion Fries were seasoned with a 5-spice powder. Not a 5-spice powder, but the components. There are many variations of 5-spice powder, and this one included star anise, salt, pepper, sugar, and possibly cinnamon or cloves. Tasty!The RHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger Truck has been parking by 5th Ave & 21st St, near their restaurant. You can find out exactly where on twitter here or on our Mobile Munchies twitter feed.As for world domination, Chef Andy told us to expect the return of the RHONG-TIAM Pad Thai Cart to Manhattan on May 29th. We made a quick visit to the cart last summer before it decamped to Williamsburg. Now it’s coming back to Manhattan. There probably wasn’t much of a market for $30 Maine Lobster Pad Thai or $25 Alaskan Blue Crab Pad Thai in Williamsburg. We’re not so sure there’s a market in Flatiron either, but there’s a better chance than Williamsburg.You can also expect a Satay Dog cart in Union Square soon. This is grilled chicken satay served on a hot dog bun that looked delicious. It’s currently served on the Supreme Burger Truck, and is definitely next on our list.After that, he expects to have a food truck that recreates the RHONG-TIAM restaurant menu.Whew, we’re getting tired just talking about all his plans! But Chef Andy seems up for the job.
020 | Press theepochtimesSucculent Hamburgers With an Asian TwistRHONG-TIAM’s SupremeBurger Truck hits the streetsNew York’s vast hamburger landscape has a new addition. One with an Asian twist: RHONG-TIAM’s Supreme Burger Truck by Michelin-rated chef Andy Yang.I normally avoid street vendors, but this one serves some of the best hamburgers in the city.Before 3 p.m. you can find the truck at the corner of 21st Wollensky and Peter Luger,” he said.Yang said his burgers are adapted to his Thai cooking style and can be prepared very well on a truck.So he lends his passion to creating an array of tempting hamburgers (11 varieties) with distinctive flavors and textures.Almost all the burgers are inspired by Asian flavors. All ingredients are organic and fresh. The burgers are made with USDA prime Angus beef, free of hormones and antibiotics.Street and 5th Avenue, just a few blocks northwest of Union Square and two minutes’ walk from Yang’s Flatiron small restaurant at 31 East 21st Street.Yang is known for his Thai restaurants, so I asked, “Why hamburgers?”His response was enthusiastic: “I love hamburgers. I always eat hamburgers, but they need more flavor and better quality ingredients.”“I pick my own meats from the same purveyors who supply steak houses like Smith & newyork.seriouseatsA Sandwich a Day: Roti Wraps at RHONG-TIAM ExpressIn this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that’s what we’ll do. Here’s A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.You’re looking at the Roti Wraps from quick-service Flatiron Thai spot RHONG-TIAM Express. They’re pliant, unleavened flatbreads that make for delicious filling vehicles. We liked the juicy, sweet crispy basil pork and the coconut curry chicken, in a slightly spicy peanut-cabbage sauce. Less exciting was the chickpea curry potato, whose flavors were flat and unmemorable. At $5.45 for one, $8.45 for two, they’re a good bit more expensive than similar kati rolls around town, though in fairness they’re a bit bigger. One would make a reasonable, if not super-filling lunch; two would fill up just about anyone.
Press | 021Looking at the menu, I thought, “It’s so many choices for a truck,” but the service is precise and efficient.You can choose The Basic ($8), or delve into any of the unusual ($10), such as Spicy Tuna Sauce with cucumber, tobiko, avocado, wasabi aioli, and seaweed; Eel Sauce with Thai tamago, seaweed, avocado, tomato, and wasabi aioli; or Korean BBQ with kimchi, pickled daikon, hijiki, and Thai tamago.The truck also offers a Peking Duck burger ($14) served with cucumber, scallions, peanut, tamarind jam, sriracha aioli; and a Five Spicy Pork Belly burger ($14) served with pickled mustard, boiled egg, scallion, cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes.Yang has his own version of fish ‘n’ chips ($15) with wild salmon and kaffir lime.I chose The Yang ($10) with caramelized mushrooms and onion, basil, chili, and sriracha. The meat was cooked the way I ordered it—crispy on the outside and cooked to medium on the inside.The moment my teeth dug into the burger, I could understand what Yang meant about needing flavor and quality.I felt it was juicy, tender, and flavorful, with so many layers. A blend of sweet with a gentle heat. Well-balanced and none of the ingredients overpowering the others.I was tempted to have the Mafia-style French fries, The Mob, with parmesan cheese, but thought it would be more exciting to go for the Asian Invasion ($4) with five spices. The fries are hand-cut and double-fried, making them crispy and smooth at the same time.The menu offers many other interesting goodies and choices. From the quick bite section, there is the Satay Dog ($5), Pecking Duck Roll ($7), and the crispy and light Vegetarian Spring Roll ($6), which I thought was one of the best I have had.There is a salad and soup section ($6–$7), and also a nice selection of deconstructed desserts, including a Coconut Mango Sticky Rice Pudding ($5) and a Lemon Meringue Pie ($5).The hot and humid day helped persuade me to try the Green Tea Strawberry Shake, prepared Asian style (not too sweet). Being a chocolate person, I also felt tempted to try the Nutella shake and the Salted Caramel Vanilla shake ($6).RHONG-TIAM is the first of three trucks chef Yang is rolling out. Each truck will feature different culinary themes and will cruise New York City’s streets very soon.You can locate RHONG-TIAM by checking its Twitter updates @RhongTiam. Free delivery is also available by contacting [email protected] or calling 401-287-4379.I felt it was juicy,tender, and Flavorfulwith so many layers.A blend of sweet witha gentle heat. Wellbalanced and none of the ingredients overpoweringthe others
Time outRHONG-TIAM SupremeBurger TruckAndy Yang takes to the street for his latest venture—a roving truck serving Thai-inspired burgers. Look for combinations inspired by the flavors of Indonesia, Malaysia and China: General Tso (chili, steamed broccoli), Green Curry Aioli (basil, eggplant relish, pineapple) and the Yang (caramelized mushrooms and onions, sriracha aioli). He also doles out light bites from the sleek black-and-red truck, including curry chicken-stuffed empanadas, Peking-duck rolls and papaya slaw. To drink: Thai tea, root beer and a choice of three shakes (chocolate Nutella, green-tea strawberry and salted caramel vanilla).madparknewsRHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger truck launches in the FlatironA spin-off truck from RHONG-TIAM’s restaurants hit the road this week for the first time and is currently parked in the Flatiron at 5th Avenue and 21st Street (You can check where they are on Twitter (@RhongTiam). You will recall there is a RHONG-TIAM Express in the Flatiron at 31 East 21st Street and of course the Michelin starred RHONG-TIAM Thai restaurant in the Village.It’s all the creation of Chef Andy Yang, and the truck features eclectic Asian flavors on a proprietary burger made of 3 cuts of hormone and antibiotic free USDA Prime Angus. They will have 10 burgers on the menu priced at $10 each. Here are a few of them: The KoreanBBQ burger, featuring kimchi, pickled daikon, hijiki, lettuce, Thai tomago and barbecue sauce. The Yang burger, with caramelized mushrooms and onions, basil, chili, Sriracha aioli. TheEel Sauce burger, with Thai tomago, seaweed, avocado, wasabi aioli and of course eel sauce. Fish n’ Chips, with wild caught salmon, kaffir lime, and double-fried hand-cut fries.022 | Press metroNYC’s wackiest burgersMichelin-starred chef Andy Yang has 10 Southeast Asian inspired beef burgers on his new RHONG-TIAM truck, which just made its debut in the city (it comes after a successful stint with the RHONG-TIAM Pad Thai Cart in 2012). Forget the deli patty melt and line up for varieties like the Korean BBQ (kimchi, pickled daikon, hijiki, lettuce, Thai tomago and barbecue sauce) or the Yang (caramelized mushrooms and onions, basil, chili, Sriracha aioli). Look for Yang and his truck around the Flatiron district.
Press | 023T h e r e ’ s a n o t h e r new food truck in town, and this one truly stands out from all those trucks serving variations on tacos, burritos a n d r i c e b o w l s . The RHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger Truck puts its own unique twist on burgers, but there were a couple of other items we wanted to try first before tackling those patties.The chef and owner, Andy Yang, told us he was in the process of putting together a Satay Dog cart that was going to be parked around the Union Square area when ready. That sounded delicious so we ordered one for $5. While we were waiting for it to be cooked, we had a Papaya Salad, which was also $5.The papaya salad was not only colorful, it was spicy, sweet and vinegary. Chef Andy asked us if it was too spicy, and we said no, it was just right.served on a skewer with two dipping sauces: peanut sauce and a vinegared cucumber sauce.C h e f A n d y s t i l l marinates the chicken in a curry paste, but takes it off the skewer and puts it on a hot dog bun. He then adds the peanut sauce and a cucumber relish that also has red onions, bell peppers and cilantro. Wow, this was good!About the only thing cbs new york localNYC Food Truck Lunch:Papaya Salad & A Satay Dog From The RHONG-TIAM Supreme Burger Truckon the Satay Dog we weren’t crazy about was the white mayo-type spread on the bun. We’re not sure exactly what it was, but one thing it wasn’t was needed on this dish.The RHONG-TIAM S u p r e m e B u r g e r T r u c k h a s b e e n parking by 5th Ave & 21st St, near their restaurant. You can find out exactly where on Twitter here or on our Mobile Munchies twitter feed.The papaya salad was not onlycolorful, it was spicy, sweet and vinegary.Chef Andy asked us if it was too spicy, and we said no, it was just rightIf you don’t like spicy food, there may be a little too much heat for you, but we enjoyed the papaya salad. It was cool and delicious with all the carrots, peanuts, cucumber, papaya and dressing.Moving onto the Satay Dog, we can see why RHONG-TIAM is building a food cart around this menu item.Chicken satay is usually grilled and
newyorkstreetfoodOur First Bite At TheRHONG-TIAM Pad Thai CartI was back in Flatiron yesterday checking things out and seeing how crowded it was with food trucks. Yes, there were some of the usual suspects (Toum, Cambodian Cuisine Torsu, Taim), but I saw a black cart from a block away that surprised me. Wasn’t Fun Buns by Hudson Square yesterday? Yes they were.As I got closer, it appeared to be a new pad thai cart from RHONG-TIAM, who have an “express” location a couple of blocks away and 2 other locations in the metro area.I walked up to the cart and asked the guy taking orders how long they have been around. He said it was only their 2nd day. Then I looked at the menu to figure out what to order, and had quite a case of sticker shock!They call themselves “New York’s first Pad Thai Cart”, and they have 9 different types of pad thai. Where it gets kind of funky is with the prices.Pad thai is usually one of the cheapest items on a Thai menu, but the least expensive pad thai here was $10 for either chicken or veggie & tofu.Before getting into the food itself, here are the pad thai options: Free Range Organ- ic Chicken – $10, Veggie & Tofu – $10, Grass-Fed Steak – $15, Wild Caught Shrimp – $15, Berkshire Pork – $16, Roasted Peking Duck – $16, Squid – $16, Alaskan Blue Crab – $25, Maine Lobster – $30Now let’s all say it together – damn that’s expensive!This is where I call shenanigans on the “gourmet street food” scene. $30 for pad thai with lobster? This menu is like cocaine – if you’re doing it often, you know you have too much money (and a problem).Was it good? Hell, yeah! There was a huge amount of food, with flat rice noodles, peanuts, tofu, red onion slivers, bean sprouts, scallions…and some chicken.To tell you the truth, there wasn’t a lot of chicken. Pad thai is essentially a noodle dish with some protein added, and this was true to form.Squeezing on fresh lime juice was a nice addition, and the sauce was creamy and peanutty.I asked for spicy, which it built up to, rather than hitting you in the face right away. That was good too.We found the new cart on 5th Ave & 21st St yesterday, but they are in Williamsburg today. To be sure in the future, check the RHONG-TIAM Pad Thai Cart twitter here or our Mobile Munchies twitter feed.We do need to go back and try one of the premium pad thai dishes. That’s part of our job, even if it can be difficult (or pricey) at times.024 | Press
boweryboogiesRHONG-TIAM Express on OrchardLaunching Exclusive BackroomA new semi-secret speakeasy is to open soon on Orchard Street. Yesterday afternoon, a Boogie reader informed us that neighborhood newcomer RHONG-TIAM Express was taking a page directly from the Crif Dogs/PDT playbook, and launching an exclusive backroom for “VIP” members. Definitely a concerted attempt to cultivate cool. We stopped by later in the day to find out more.RHONG-TIAM Express at 154 Orchard Street predominantly operates as a take-away joint, but converted the back “garden” space into a private dining room of sorts. People wishing to dine under the stars will need to call far in advance for a reservation that’s supposedly hard to obtain; early response in soft open was reportedly strong.foodinmouthRoti wraps at RHONG-TIAM ExpressRHONG-TIAM was a Thai restaurant that had recognition in the NYTimes and even earned a Michelin Star. The recognition from The Tire Man was confusing to some, and rightly so. I actually went to RHONG-TIAM once two years ago. On the menu, they put little chili icons next to dishes to denote spiciness. I picked a noodle dish that had as many chilis as the star dish on the menu, Pork on Fire. Then I proceeded to scare Steph with how much a dude can sweat while attempting to eat dinner. Seriously, the waitress was scared by my face and brought me an iced tea, on the house. That’s how crazy it was. But then RHONG-TIAM closed and a new shop, RHONG-TIAM Express opened up farther uptown. They traded their sit-down restaurant by NYU for a more casual take-out place in the Flatiron.Press | 025The backroom is accessible through a somewhat secret-looking door with a wall-mounted payphone-lock. Those lucky enough to score a “VIP” status will be given the six-digit password to gain anytime entry. Membership entitles you to first round on the house for life (or as long as they’re in business). Beer and wine only, though, as RHONG-TIAM does not possess a full liquor license.The employee who gave us the tour maintains that the private seating area can be categorized as falling somewhere between an exclusive nightspot and PDT. It’s slated to launch on Friday.converted the back “garden” space into a private dining room of sorts.
026 | RHONG-TIAM Identity Design RHONG-TIAMIdentity DesignRHONG-TIAM was founded by CHEF ANDY YANG in 2008. Chef Yang opened his first location in a small secluded space on Laguardia place in Greenwich village. Within a very short period of time, it became a true destination restaurant, receiv- ing rave reviews from the New York Times as well as from various food bloggers and now has a massive cult following. After receiving a Michelin Star in 2010 from New York City, an expansion was in order, with locations now in Texas, China, Japan, UAE & Canada coming soon.© RHONG-TIAM logo the first Thai Restaurant in States to receive a Michelin Star.RHONG-TIAM is the first Thai Restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin Star.
RHONG-TIAM Identity Design | 027RHONG-TIAMis the first Thai Restaurant in the United States to Star.
028 | Packaging Design
Packaging Design | 029PackagingDesignRHONG-TIAM was founded by CHEF ANDYYANG in 2008. Chef Yang opened his first lo- cation in a small secluded space on Laguardia place in Greenwich village. Within a very short period of time, it became a true destination restaurant, receiving rave reviews from the New York Times as well as from various food bloggers and now has a massive cult following. After receiving a Michelin Star in 2010 from New York City, an expansion was in order, with locations now in Texas, China, Japan, UAE & Canada coming soon.
Interior Design030 | Interior design RHONG-TIAM is envisioned as a space that express the key values of the brand - Fresh, Healthy, Casual. Given that it is an existing outlet, our focus was on adding layers that are effective and instrumental in understanding the brand and creating a holistic user experience that is able to understand the design as part of the whole package of what the restaurant has to offer.There was need of consistency to connects the different areas of the restaurant, as well as indoor and outdoor, We introduced the bicycle wheel feature, that represents a symbol for the organic trade and simple ways of transporting us to the essence of things, much like the Thai culture.The existing lighting bulbs were inspiration to develop custom made lighting features to give the restaurant more visibility from the street. the accessories and display will be positioned to give the atmosphere of walking into someone’s kitchen, Chef Andy’s kitchen. The walls will have photo frames capturing food quotes, photos of the chef in action and artistic detail shots of food. This way the client will connect to the cuisine and kitchen and the atmosphere will be vibrant and playful with a burnt orange color added to the scheme.Exquisite details of rusty metal mesh will promote a unique brand name, an outlet that has a genuine offer of unpretentious hospitality and passion for food that comes from the soul.
© RHONG-TIAM DUBAIBulb with orange cordabove banquette seating.Interior design | 031