eateryROW: FOREST HILLS

103-07 Queens Boulevard
Forest Hills, NY 11375
(718) 897-3898

Across from the fountained plaza of Parker Towers, on a street far from the dining strips of Austin Street or Metropolitan Avenue, sits Thai Pot. It's been here for a few years and has garners a local rep for being pretty good. It used to be cash-only. Now it takes credit cards. When Bro and I showed up this Sunday evening, they were deserted. Totally dead. Thusly, we were guaranteed the table of our choice. During our entire meal, only two more tables were filled. Normally, if I see that a place is empty, I take it as a bad sign that they might suck. Allow me to say right at the beginning, then, that Thai Pot does not suck. That said, when we got there this sweltering early September day, the air conditioning was either off, broken, or non-existent and the inside was pretty stuffy. Cooler months should be better.

For obvious reasons, I can't speak about the types of patrons who come here, or what service is normally like. But I can talk about the food.

The first of the appetizers that we ordered was the Curry Puff, soft dough balls filled with chicken and sweet potato . At first it seems a bit dry, even powdery. But the moist filling and a quick dip it in the sweet cucumber sauce gets rid of that problem. I'm a big fan of curry puffs and Thai Pot's was no exception. Delicious.

Anyone who knows me well or reads this blog is aware of my weakness for fried calamari. So I had to try the one on the menu here, the Fresh Fried Calamari. Thai Pot has a spicy sweet version, served in an edible rice paper bowl. My initial fear that I'd wind up with some chewy rubber coated in batter was unfounded. This appetizer was also extremely tasty.

The only appetizer that I didn't particularly think much of were the Vegetarian Spring Rolls, which were relatively tasteless. Bro agreed with their mediocrity. If you choose to order them, watch out. They're scaldingly hot. Not as in spicy, as in Fahrenheit. Between appetizers and entrees, I tried Thai Pot's Tom Yum Soup with Chicken. Very yum. Also, mind you, very hot. And this time I mean spicy as well as temperature. Good. Like I've said in the past, if my nose isn't running, it's not spicy enough.

Massaman Curry with Squid Bro's entree of choice was the Massaman Curry with Squid, a mild curry served with bell peppers, potato, onions and peanuts. How often is squid a curry option? So you take it when you can. Very good. Not spicy, but not without flavor. I regret to admit that it was way better than my entree, the Drunken Noodles with Beef, wide, flat noodles stir fried with vegetables and beef. Normally I like drunken noodles, but this allegedly spicy dish was pretty bland. Actually, I take that back. The dish was almost entirely tasteless, I regret to admit. Maybe a sign should have been that they tried to hide the dish under what was nothing less than a mountain of shaved carrots. What should have been a garnish was more like half the meal. My suggestion, for all of you drunken noodle fans out there, is to go to Bankok Cuisine. Theirs has duck and it pretty damn good.

Bro and I both felt that the hot day deserved some ice cream. And I can't think of any better way than having it fried. For those of you who have never had fried ice cream, imagine taking this already not-so-healthy dessert, dunking it in batter, deep frying it, coating it in whipped cream, and then coating the whipped cream in chocolate syrup. I put on weight just describing it. Naturally, the Vanilla Fried Ice Cream I ordered was awesome (they also have green tea ice cream). Bro opted for the Fried Banana Split, a dessert that was, possibly,re deadly than my own. I don't remember if we ordered coffee, but we probably did.

Three appetizers, a soup, two entrees, two sodas, two desserts, and maybe two coffees, plus tax and tip, floated near $65.