fiveroyales
There used to be a Thai restaurant that was temporarily closed for a period of time. I assumed it was because of this period, and it has been a while since then. The location is near the Shinjuku-Hyakunincho intersection, close to the Okubo Station South Exit where the Haruyama General Hospital is located. This alley is known for the famous curry restaurant SPICY CURRY Roka and the frequented Beef Tendon Curry Small Curry House. I had been passing by the front of the restaurant without thinking much about it. One day, I noticed that the restaurant had changed its name from the signboard. When I looked at the menu outside, it seemed different from the Thai restaurant that I had visited before, so it didn't seem like just a name change. I decided to try it out soon. Recently, I entered the restaurant during lunchtime and saw a family of customers who seemed to be from the same hometown. They had just finished their meal, folded up the baby stroller, paid their bill, and left the restaurant. The layout of the store and the staff (probably a couple) running the store seemed completely different from before. I ordered the "Seafood Pappom Curry" that I saw on the outdoor menu. There were only three lunch dishes to choose from, so the options were limited. After the previous customer left, there were no more customers coming in. The restaurant used to be small but quite lively, especially with female customers. It felt quite lonely to see the difference. Since there were no other customers, the food was served without much wait. The tray included Seafood Pappom Curry, soup, salad, and almond jelly for dessert. I started with a spoonful of soup... it had plenty of green onions floating in it, with a gentle flavor. I couldn't taste any herbs, so it seemed like they weren't used. The gentle flavor was quite deep. I took a spoon and tried the Pappom Curry. It was slightly sweet due to the coconut milk used, but the spices added depth to the flavor. The runny sauce with the soft-shell crab had a unique stickiness. The soft-shell crab was the star of the dish, but the coconut milk and beaten egg played important supporting roles. The salad for chopstick rest had leafy greens at its core. It mainly consisted of mizuna and lettuce, fresh and crisp. The dressing was obviously pre-made. Finally, I refreshed my palate with the almond jelly dessert. Almond jelly is not commonly seen in Thai restaurants. The homely atmosphere of the small restaurant made the dining experience enjoyable. I felt that if they added a couple more items to the lunch menu, it would become even more popular.