Hug Esan — all mentions

in:Layover in NYC for 30 hours starting tonight. Need good food ideas! 62 pts
“Hug Esan - Isan style Thai food, they will blow you away with heat if you ask. Nam Khao Tod is my death row dish, but they're also great for grilled/fried meats, whole fish, extra funky papaya salad, and an impressive collection of larbs.”
H3
postWhen I’m at Hug Esan, I have to get the Nom Khao Tod (crispy rice salad) and Larb Pla (crispy, fried fish)39 pts
“Hug Esan is one of the great Thai Esan spots in Elmhurst, Queens.”
H3
in:Hottest day in NYC: What did you eat that was still hot, spicy & not cold!28 pts
“their somtums and larbs were exceptional”
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in:What's the best thing you've eaten in the past week?24 pts
“And Hug Esan's version was great, and they will blow you out of the water w/ heat if you ask them to.”
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in:Your best meals of 2024?9 pts
“Nam Khao Tod is my perfect dish, it's got some of everything going on (salty/sweet/sour/rich/crunchy/chewy/etc). That plus some grilled/fried meats and a BYO beer makes for a lovely dinner.”
H3
in:Thai boat noodles from Zabb Putawn in Brooklyn4 pts
replying to u/dantesinfernoracket1: Yes. And the menu is way more elevated than the other places in the area. Some deep-cut dishes that aren't found as commonly in the States. I haven't tried all of them, but on that alone, I'd rank it pretty high.
“my death row dish of Naem Kow Tod (salad of deep fried rice that goes super big on every flavor, my place for it is Hug Esan or Playground in Elmhurst).”
H3
in:What’s the spiciest god damn dish in NYC? Make me regret asking this.1 pts
“The papaya salad Thai spicy level at Hug Esan is the first thing I think of. Even spicier to me than the larb at zaab zaab because it’s doesn’t have the fat from the meat to help tone it down a bit. I love spicy shit and I can’t finish that papaya salad in one go”
H3
in:Replacement for Ugly Baby- Where to go?64 pts
“Go to Queens, specifically Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside for authentic Thai food!”
H2
in:If you’ve ordered the same thing from 10+ places, which one won?53 pts
“Nam Khao Tod/Yam Naem/Laotian Sticky Rice Salad (my favorite Isan Thai dish-) Hug Esan”
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in:What’s the spiciest god damn dish in NYC? Make me regret asking this.40 pts
“Thai hot papaya salad at hug esan in elmhurst”
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in:What's your favorite random dish from a random restaurant you can never not order?30 pts
“Hug Esan - Nam Khao Tod”
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in:What we ate on a 4.5 day trip to NYC!15 pts
“- Elmhurst: Hug Esan (thai, and thai-spicy so watch out!)”
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in:Finally found a true issan restaurant. It’s even better than little Thailand. Sappe13 pts
“Hug Esan is quite authentic!”
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in:Juiciest, most mouth-scorching Thai salad13 pts
“Hug Esan and Zabb PuTawn have the best versions of larb/nam tok/etc. in the city.”
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in:Recommendations for Spicy food12 pts
“Hug Esan (kor moo nam tok) in Elmhurst/Jackson Heights.”
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in:Thai restaurants in Queens12 pts
replying to u/inthiscountry: Ayada is my favorite for crowd pleasers, amazing renditions of drunken noodles, crab fried rice, duck Penang curry. Khao Nom is when I want a cuter, more tailored menu with really good desserts Khao Kang for casual, steam table style point and pick. Spicy as fuuuck. Both Khaos have really good crushed ice with their drinks Hug esan I've been to once, it's a different kind of regional Thai I believe, think funk forward. I've come to learn I don't prefer Esan Thai. I went to Saranrom once but avoid it because it tends to be really crowded given the Michelin rec, but I don't remember it really being better than Ayada? Playground I go to for more like, drinking food? Like spare ribs, gizzard. Really good smoothies and a newer fave I tried is their crab meat and roasted pork noodles. Echo pata market for great prepared foods. Eim khao mun kai is great for a homey chicken and rice. Comfort food. My impressions as just a fan of Thai food and someone who basically only eats it in Elmhurst.
“ATM I think I prefer Hug Esan over Playground. I like their Nam Khao Tod more, their grilled/fried meats are wonderful”
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in:Where to find Nam Khao? (Desperately missing Ugly Baby’s Kao Tod Nam Klook)10 pts
“Hug Esan in Elmhurst does a fantastic version.”
H2
in:Laotian food?8 pts
replying to u/CabassoG: Most Lao spots are overpriced. There's several Isan spots that sell dishes from a part of Thailand with heavy Lao influence. Zabb PuTawn is great for Manhattan and there is several in Queens
“zaab zaab and hug esan both in elmhurst are VERY good and remind me a lot of the food i ate when i was living in Thailand”
H2
in:Favorite Restaurants / Bites of 20247 pts
“Went back recently on a whim and I'm 100% in love. Nam Kao Tod is my death row dish, add on a grilled/fried meat and some beer and I'm super happy.”
H2
in:What’s the spiciest god damn dish in NYC? Make me regret asking this.6 pts
replying to u/justflipping: Ask for Thai spicy at Playground and Hug Esan. Spicy guru-level at Abiko Curry. More recs: [Best Spicy Meals in NYC?](https://reddit.com/r/FoodNYC/comments/1lfm9dc/best_spicy_meals_in_nyc/)
“Totally agree with this. Anything “Thai spicy” at these two places will hurt. Badly. My husband keeps doing though and loves it!”
H2
in:Your worst meal of 2024 ?5 pts
replying to u/Trippydudes: Hug esan. The crispy rice was so sour and strange. Worst thai food I ever had.
“I have had their crispy rice salad a dozen times and it ROCKS.”
H2
in:What’s the spiciest god damn dish in NYC? Make me regret asking this.5 pts
replying to u/lalochezia1: yeah basically go to an actual thai restaraunt in elmhurst like hug esan or khao kang or any of half of a dozen on that block, go with a thai friend. and ask for thai spicy. REAL thai spicy. then when the waiter looks at you with a sad face that says "stupid westerner, there there", have your thai friend say "no, they mean it!" bonus: elmhurst hospital is within crawling distance
“Both also serve my deathrow dish of Nam Khao Tod (or curried rice croquet salad at Playground), it's my ideal of a perfectly balanced dish with every flavor profile showing up.”
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in:Any really spicy food in new york?5 pts
“Hug esan papaya salad thai hot will give you a kick.”
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in:Looking for good experiences!5 pts
“Playground in Jackson Heights, and Khao Kang and Hug Esan in Elmhurst are excellent and truly authentic Thai places that can give you real Thai-level spiciness.”
H2
in:Immigrants of NYC, what restaurant in the city has the best version of your home country’s food?4 pts
replying to u/Throwaway1234498766: What do you think of Somtum Der (EV)?
“I personally prefer the Bangkok-style Somtum (i.e., Somtum Thai) at Wondee Siam and the Esan-style Somtum (with crabs and a hint of plara) at Hug Esan.”
H2
in:FAVOURITE MEALS??4 pts
replying to u/elitejun: you had me at Thai. Mad for chicken looks amazing too might head up there tomorrow, but Thai is definitely on the menu now tonight!!! I can't believe I haven't checked playground out before didn't even realize it was right here. Looks soooo good & i love spicy. Thank you!!! What do you like getting from Koliba?? Gonna stop by for a late lunch on wednesday for a brew and some food.
“go to hug essan for another great example of it. They're also great for grilled/fried meats and whole fish dishes.”
H2
in:Dinner at Playground Thai (Jackson Heights)4 pts
“That first dish, nam khao tod, is my death row dish and Playground is where I first had it. I think I like it a bit better from Hug Esan at this point, but it's close.”
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in:What’s your favorite offal dish in NYC right now?4 pts
“Pork Liver Larb Larb at Hug Esan”
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in:Places to eat without reservations4 pts
“or places like CheLi/Szechuan Mountain House or Hug Esan for whole fish dishes.”
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in:Spicy food in Jackson Heights?3 pts
replying to u/adhi-: what's the move for ordering at Hug Esan?
“But the standard good things would be papaya salad, larb, and they have nom khao tod, so get that (one of my all time favorite thai dishes)”
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in:Itinerary check for August3 pts
“Hug Esan will tone the spice way down if you ask, their level goes from 1-15, 10 is spicy, 15 is Thai spicy, it's great”
H2
in:Help me create a 30-day (NYC Lunch) meal plan!3 pts
replying to u/rrmj8972: ah this is super helpful, thanks! Knew I should have provided more info but was just putting initial feelers out there. - Aiming to get at least 15-20 meals out of this. I’ll be solo for most of the meals so individual prices would be like…$100-200 on a splurge (referring to your fine dining comment, but would only do something like this 2-3 times tops), and would be fine going up to around $50 for most other meals. - Alcohol isn’t a priority, but always a nice bonus. Would not turn a place down for not having alcohol - Train in from Westchester to Grand Central, about 45 minutes. 100% fine (and excited) by prospect of going to outer boroughs - Wish I could say everything because it’s true, but to list the favorites - good pizza (i’ve carved out a bunch of spots here, for instance have never been able to get a dinner res at rubirosa or wait in line at mamas too), Italian, Thai (recently had an early lunch at soothr which sparked this whole idea), sushi, chinese (also got res at din tai fung), vietnamese, american (burgers, bbq, sandwiches). But again, for outstanding spots i won’t be picky. Basically, hoping to accomplish two things: 1) rediscover the food scene of NY that’s been absent in my life for past few years 2) have the access to places for lunch hours that would normally be tough (Soothr example above is perfect example) Thanks again for your time!
“I think my rec would be Hug Esan for Nam Khao Tod (a broken rice salad that's one of my 'I could eat this every day and never be sad' meals)”
H2
in:Best Rice in NYC?3 pts
“Hug Esan for their Nam Khao Tod, a crispy rice salad that I'm a bit obsessed with.”
H2
in:Where should I grab lunch?3 pts
replying to u/justflipping: What are neighborhoods you don’t usually go to? I’ll name some places not in the UWS. - Bolivian Llama Party - Hug Esan - Yunnan Flavor Garden - Reyes Deli - Native Noodle - De Hot Pot - Shanghai You Garden - Tito Rad’s
“yes to Hug Esan . The larb there is great .”
H2
in:Best Spiciest food in New York?3 pts
replying to u/thansal: Skip the first 2 steps and just go to: * Playground * Hug Esan * Zaab Zaab * Khao Kang The first 2 don't fuck around w/ heat levels and will give you what your order, they will warn you, but they'll do it. The 2nd 2 don't moderate heat level, Zaab Zaab just serves things the way they think they should be and Khao Kang is a steam table joint, so everything is premade.
“Confirmed that Hug Esan will give you all the spice you ask for. I love it.”
H2
in:Chalong has the best Thai fried fish. Incredible 1st experience.3 pts
“Hug Esan in Elmhurst does a larb with deep-fried tilapia that's fantastic and has prevented me from ordering any other entree in Elmhurst”
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in:Oyamel, Jose Andres's new Hudson Yards restaurant3 pts
“My top pick for "They will make it as hot as you ask" is Hug Esan”
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in:Is Zaab Zaab worth the trip to Queens?2 pts
“Zaab Zaab (and Hug Esan) have some unique dishes tough to find elsewhere in the city, and even on the more common dishes the flavors are on a different level.”
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in:2 Months left in NYC with of spare time, looking for any/all your favorite hole in the wall unique cuisine spots2 pts
replying to u/scrubjay98111: Get yourself to Taste Good!!! It's a winner :) Also in the general vicinity - Kin Sen and Hug Esan (both Thai but different regional cuisines), Asian Taste 86 (Indonesian) and Eim Khao Man Kai (Thai-style chicken rice). Safir - Mediterranean - Long Island City Tone - Georgian - Brighton Beach
“Hug Esan is good, but I thought it just wasn't as punchy as Playground (my top Isan choice) or Zaab Zaab, and I like punchy.”
H2
in:"Goodbye Ugly Baby!" Ugly Baby is permanently closing! 2 pts
replying to u/zzy335: Ugly Baby is, BY FAR, the closest food to what I've had in Northern Thailand. Everything else is bland. They are the only Thai spot with the balls to serve food Thai spicy, not Farang spice level.
“You MUST try Hug Esan in Elmhurst, Queens! It's still very spicy but not AS spicy as UB, and feels super flavorful and authentic to me.”
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in:Specific Dishes to Get Out of my Comfort Zone2 pts
“Hug Esan - Since you said Thai, they're one of my favorite options, and do a bang up Nam Kao Tod which is probably my favorite dish in the world.”
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in:Trip Review2 pts
“Hug Esan + Khao Nom is a great combo. Hug Esan for Nam Khao Tod (my deathrow dish) and fried/grilled meat/fish”
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in:What’s the last thing you ate in the city that made you think, “this is why life is worth living”?2 pts
replying to u/thansal: looking at the menu, sounds like that's Nam Khao Tod, which is my death row dish. Not super common in NYC, but Hug Esan and Playground both do a great version of it. I really need to get to Fish Cheeks one of these days...
“The one at Hug Esan is my other fave in NYC!!”
H2
in:BYOB THAI PLACE2 pts
replying to u/thansal: Hug Esan, if you want actual recs give specifics. Though Hug Esan is just the right answer anyway.
“Seconding Hug Esan. Amazing food. The nam khao tod is incredible.”
H2
in:Thai restaurants in Queens2 pts
replying to u/thansal: My understanding is that Hug Esan and Playground (and Zaab Zaab, who's the 'cool' option) have a heavy Isan inflection, which is NE Thailand (which has a heavy mix of Lao and Thai people), and the food is popular in Thailand atm (lots of it in Bangkok). One of the signature ingredients is pla ra which is a different style of fermented fish. Both places have Som Tum Pla Ra on the menu (tum plara at Hug and "pickled fish" at Playground), and they are suuuuuper funky. They both also have other versions of papaya salad ("Thai Papaya Salad" will get something closer to what most of us Americans are used to). They're also 2 of only a handful of places I know to get Nam Khao Tod (spicy salad w/ curried rice croquettes at Playground), which is one of my death row dishes. Salty/Sweet/Herbal/Spicy/Sour/Crunchy/Soft, it has it all. ATM I think I prefer Hug Esan over Playground. I like their Nam Khao Tod more, their grilled/fried meats are wonderful (but the fried pork jerky at Playground is perfect drinking food), and they're BYO, which cuts down on the cost ($1 corkage for beer $3 for wine/soju/sake, we generally bring a big can of beer and a bottle of soju). But Playground was my first introduction to non-American standard Thai, so I'll always love them. As a side note: Eim Khao Mun Kai is opening a place just off of St Marks. There's also a great Thai Chicken Rice place called Me Chicken Rice over by Washington Sq Park (for the Manhattan centric people).
“Love Hug Esan’s nam khao tod!”
H2
in:If you could have just one dish, from one restaurant...2 pts
“Larb Pla from Hug Esan”
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in:What is your favorite thai spot in NYC for price and value?2 pts
replying to u/justflipping: Which Thai spots in Elmhurst have you already had? Would recommend: - Khao Kang - Hug Esan - Sripraphai - Pye Boat Noodle - Chick It Out - Gai Kitchen - Playground - Eim Khao Mun Kai - Pata Paplean
“Out of those, I like hug Esan for the food but portions are small for the price.”
H2
in:I made it out to Elmhurst for Thai; Saranrom Thai and . . .2 pts
replying to u/ry690: you're buggin. Of all the places in nyc this place is worth the hype
“I love Hug Esan but they massively downgraded their fish lately.”
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in:What are your favorite *dishes* in NYC?1 pts
“The fried tilapia larb at Hug Esan is so good. I'm sure their other dishes are great too, but I can't pull myself away from that one dish.”
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in:Favorite Thai restaurants1 pts
“Authentic, more affordable and packed with flavor.”
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