Tucked away in a mostly residential section of Astoria, the aroma of warm herbs and savory BBQ dishes emanates from Kam Rai, a Thai restaurant adorned with a crown of flowers cascading from its mint-green and white-striped awning.
The restaurant, located at 43-11 28th Ave., serves dishes from each region of Thailand, from central-inspired dishes made with sautéed wide rice noodles like Pad See Ew to spicy entrees hailing from the south, like Colossal Crab Southern Curry. Owned by Chef Dhanapol “Oak” Marprasert and his wife, Jiraporn “Jina” Tisopa, the pair sought to bring a true taste of Thai flavor to New Yorkers, right in the heart of the world’s most diverse borough.
Photo by Jessica Militello
Photo by Jessica Militello
“There’s many Thai restaurants in Queens, but we like to stand out,” Tisopa said. “That’s why we create the menu very special, we want to bring what Astoria doesn’t have.”
Photo by Jessica Militello
Inside the restaurant, bundles of pink, orange and red flowers descend from the ceiling, transforming the space into a vibrant garden with rows of tables lining the venue, ornate with tiny vases filled with flowers that sit in the center of green and blue plates.
Photo by Jessica Militello
Photo by Jessica Militello
Photo by Jessica Militello
In the three years since it opened in March 2023, dishes on its menu feature an ever-evolving selection, prepared by Marprasert, a self-taught chef who grew up in a Thai army attaché family. Originally born in Washington D.C., he and his family moved to Bangkok in 1994, and his interest in Thai cooking led him to become a professional chef. After moving to the U.S. in 2014, he opened his first restaurant in 2020 in Middle Village, called Ma Kin, with the concept of serving fast-casual Thai dishes before pivoting toward a new concept with Kam Rai.
With his latest venue, he had a vision to blend cooking techniques from various cultures to reimagine Thai cooking with his passion for BBQ, while giving customers a snapshot of flavors hailing from throughout Thailand.
“When I was growing up with my mom, she taught me about cooking, and I like to represent this great food and the origin of it,” Marprasert said.
Kam Rai’s menu is vast, with signature dishes like Khao Sol Gai, a Northern-style curry noodle soup with chicken confit, red onion, cilantro, dried chili and crispy egg noodles, to sautéed dishes over rice, like the Kraphao Moo Grob Kai Dao, prepared with crispy pork, basil leaves, pepper and onion in spicy fresh chili basil sauce and served with a fried egg on top. There’s also a variety of wok noodles, fried rice and soup, like Tom Yum, a classic Thai soup made with lemongrass broth, shrimp and mushroom.
Photo by Jessica Militello
Photo by Jessica Militello
But the family-owned restaurant’s offerings shine best on a separate menu called “Chef’s Creations,” which highlights flavors from throughout Thailand.
Standout dishes include its Three-Flavored Branzino, a crispy, boneless branzino with a Thai sweet, sour and savory sauce, its Khao Soi Nuca, a spicy Northern Thai-style curry noodle soup with braised beef, cilantro, dried chili and crispy egg noodles, and its Grilled Pork Jowl Nam Tok, prepared with pork jowl and toasted rice powder, chili, lime, shallot and fresh herbs.
Photo by Jessica Militello
Photo by Jessica Militello
For those looking for even more authentic Thai flavor, the Kua Kling is a Spicy Southern Thai dry curry dish with bell pepper, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric and black pepper, and the Colossal Crab Southern Curry is another southern Thai-inspired entree, with coconut curry, colossal crab, shallots, garlic and makrut lime leaves. Both of these menu items have five red peppers next to their names to let guests know it’s promised to bring a lot of heat with each mouthful.
Photo by Jessica Militello
While all of its “Chef’s Creations” are a must-try, both Tisopa and Marprasert explain that after three years, it’s time to change up the menu by adding new dishes for their customers to explore.
“We’ve been here three years already, and our clients are always asking if we have a special for the week or for the month, so Chef Oak said, ‘Okay, it’s three years now, it’s time to refresh the menu,’” Tisopa said.
Whether foodies are looking for a new restaurant to explore or are anticipating Kam Rai’s new dishes coming soon, the hidden gem is a perfect place to visit for lunch and dinner and experience authentic Thai flavors and vibrant cocktails in an intimate setting.
Kam Rai is open seven days a week, from Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Dining and Cooking