My friend planned a group dinner at Teakwood, and I was eager to give it a try. In addition to…read moretraditional Thai dishes, they offered various grilled and roasted proteins with Thai-inspired sauces, which was likely why they called themselves a "Chophouse". The restaurant was on a quieter block in the far western side of Tribeca. It was bright, modernly adorned, and had colorful fish wallpaper on one side of the dining room. The staff was friendly and welcoming and even told us that we could "take our time" when they dropped off the check.
We had arrived during happy hour and wanted to take advantage of the specials. From a drink perspective, I opted for something that was similar to a spicy guava margarita, and it was fantastic! The drink was a little sweet, a little smoky, and a little spicy; it was perfectly balanced. We all paired our discounted beverages with a few starters from the happy hour list. The Vegetable Spring Rolls were thin, crispy, and packed with a flavorful blend of cabbage, carrots, parsnips, glass noodles, and sweet corn. They came with a sweet chili dipping sauce on the side. Then came the Chicken Wings, and, while I am not typically a fan, theirs were unreal! The meat was tender, the breading was perfectly fried, and the roasted chili garlic soy glaze was a revelation. Those were the best wings I had ever had!
While we requested those items before the end of the discount period, we then had to order the rest of our meal from the regular dinner menu. We continued with the appetizer theme by ordering the Chicken Satay Buns, which came as a pair. The sticky, doughy bun was stuffed with turmeric-marinaded chicken, cucumber slices, pickled onions, and cilantro. They were paired with sides of a cucumber relish and a peanut curry sauce. These were not quite as successful as the happy hour appetizers, as the chicken was dark meat and the side sauces were a necessary addition to really enjoy the bland the buns. Though I was not the biggest fan of those, my Chicken Drunken Noodles were fantastic! The flat rice noodles were soft and delicate; the chicken was tender; and the sauce had the perfect level of heat. The dish also included brussels sprouts, onions, tomatoes, Thai basil, and long hot chilis, which was an interesting mix, but I was thrilled to see the brussels included.
By that point, we were all stuffed, but one of my friends was craving the Mango Sticky Rice, so we ordered one for the table. I had never had that type of dessert before, and it was not something I would typically order, but it was surprisingly good. The sticky rice base was covered with half of a fresh, ripe mango and drizzled with a sweet coconut milk sauce. It was tropical, natural, and tasty.
Overall, we were thrilled with our meal, and I definitely thought that Teakwood Chophouse provided one of the best Thai food experiences I had ever had.