The second stop was at Thai Me Up, and turned out to be my favorite of the whole food adventure. I’m not so sure I would have walked into this place without a little reinforcement from NYC Food Guy because I truly did not get the concept of Thai food served on a sandwich But, Thai Me Up’s Black Pearl sandwich had received some fabulous reviews and was a “must-try” for this outing. It did anything but disappoint.
But let me back up a second here. Before I get into the sandwich itself, I think a little background on this restaurant is much deserved. Hailing from Jerusalem, the owner Amir is the first (at least that Miss Menu has seen) to bring this concept to New York…one that is apparently almost as popular in Israel as falafel. He was very proud to tell us about his store and the quality of its products. He even walked us through the cooking process and helped us figure out how and what to order.
Seven vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, corn, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli) are steamed using only water. No oil used = guilt-free goodness!
Step 1 – Choose a sandwich or noodle/rice bowl. If you choose the sandwich, Amir will even inform you that the baguette is served “scooped out,” basically the outer, crunchy shell is left and the soft white bread is tossed. This acts as a great serving device. Unfortunately, that doesn’t prevent it from being very messy!
Step 2 – Pick your protein: chicken, tofu, or beef…or just stick with veggie
Step 3 – Select a sauce: Black Pearl, White Ginger, or Pine Grand (Amir said that they are listed in order of his preference and of popularity)
Step 4 – Add additional toppings/condiments: Lettuce, Tomato, and Mayo mix
The result is pure magic. The Black Pearl sandwich was almost too good for words. I was surprised how well Thai/Asian flavors worked with the French baguette. The Black Pearl sauce itself was delicious…”the bbq sauce of Asia,” as it’s been coined. And the mayo mix added a great additional layer of flavor.
I have already started recommending Thai Me Up to friends, and cannot wait to go back. Hard to go wrong with great taste, great value, and a great owner who really cares about his product. An additional perk is that it’s open until midnight, and they are considering staying open later on the weekends to appeal to the late night/post bar crowd. If you are ever on your way to Chickpea or on 14th Street for any other reason, definitely stop in and give Thai Me Up a chance. I promise you will leave very satisfied!
Two down, and how many more to go?!
Thai Me Up
238 East 14th Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenue
Menu Pages listing
But let me back up a second here. Before I get into the sandwich itself, I think a little background on this restaurant is much deserved. Hailing from Jerusalem, the owner Amir is the first (at least that Miss Menu has seen) to bring this concept to New York…one that is apparently almost as popular in Israel as falafel. He was very proud to tell us about his store and the quality of its products. He even walked us through the cooking process and helped us figure out how and what to order.
Seven vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, corn, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli) are steamed using only water. No oil used = guilt-free goodness!
Step 1 – Choose a sandwich or noodle/rice bowl. If you choose the sandwich, Amir will even inform you that the baguette is served “scooped out,” basically the outer, crunchy shell is left and the soft white bread is tossed. This acts as a great serving device. Unfortunately, that doesn’t prevent it from being very messy!
Step 2 – Pick your protein: chicken, tofu, or beef…or just stick with veggie
Step 3 – Select a sauce: Black Pearl, White Ginger, or Pine Grand (Amir said that they are listed in order of his preference and of popularity)
Step 4 – Add additional toppings/condiments: Lettuce, Tomato, and Mayo mix
The result is pure magic. The Black Pearl sandwich was almost too good for words. I was surprised how well Thai/Asian flavors worked with the French baguette. The Black Pearl sauce itself was delicious…”the bbq sauce of Asia,” as it’s been coined. And the mayo mix added a great additional layer of flavor.
I have already started recommending Thai Me Up to friends, and cannot wait to go back. Hard to go wrong with great taste, great value, and a great owner who really cares about his product. An additional perk is that it’s open until midnight, and they are considering staying open later on the weekends to appeal to the late night/post bar crowd. If you are ever on your way to Chickpea or on 14th Street for any other reason, definitely stop in and give Thai Me Up a chance. I promise you will leave very satisfied!
Two down, and how many more to go?!
Thai Me Up
238 East 14th Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenue
Menu Pages listing
Comments