OBAO

My rating: 9.3/10

I attended OBAO, a modern Thai restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. For those unfamiliar, Hell’s Kitchen is a very food-centric part of New York City. OBAO held its own in Hell’s Kitchen. Thai cuisine is one of my favorites, the modern and new twist OBAO put on its food was perfect. It reminded me a lot of Revel in Seattle, Washington.

As a starter, we ordered the kimchi fries and the crispy spring rolls. The kimchi fries were like nothing I had ever experienced. It had all the flavor of a Thai dish on American fries. It was a wild feeling eating fries with Asian spices and a sweet flavor. This restaurant has mastered the art of balance. There was a perfect balance on the menu; all items went well with each other. Each dish was also perfectly balanced, a perfectly savory item with a perfectly sweet one.

The crispy spring rolls were very hearty. The kimchi fries were much lighter compared to the crispy spring rolls. They were packed with pork. There was pork, shrimp, taro, and mushrooms, but the pork really shined. These are all hearty ingredients and it made for a really hearty dish. Regarding balance, because of the size of the spring rolls and the sauce, it was a very balanced appetizer. I enjoyed having light fries and a hearty spring roll to begin my meal.

For my main dish, I ordered the roasted duck noodles. In modern Thai cuisine, I really enjoy long, flat, thick noodles. I think they help soak up flavor and make eating more enjoyable. I was able to enjoy the duck that melted in my mouth along with noodles that also melted in my mouth. There were varying textures with the scallions, but overall, this was a flavor bomb of a dish, with a very soft texture. I may be uncultured, but I have never seen roasted duck noodles before, and this is a must-try dish.

I was able to try some pad Thai as well. This was a fairly staple pad Thai dish with shrimp, sprouts, chives, peanuts and a poached egg. I believe this restaurant is best enjoyed when you branch out with

your choices. The pad Thai was very delicious, but the menu has so much more to offer. There were staple thin noodles, classic sesame flavor, shrimp and egg.

If you love trying new foods and different versions of classic dishes, I recommend the kimchi fries, crispy spring rolls and roasted duck noodles. If you don’t like to branch out and want a dish you know you can rely on, pad Thai is not a bad choice. I urge you to branch out; however, you will be more than happy with any of these dishes.

Food for thought: I wonder if the cooking show, “Hell’s Kitchen” has anything to do with Hell’s Kitchen in NYC. What came first, NYC or Gordon Ramsey?