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The Lemongrass Grill Curry Puff – Financial District – Thai

The curry puff is common to Thai, Malaysian, and Singaporean cuisine, but none of those cuisines is common to me, so the first time I tried one, I was in heaven. Sort of like an empanada, sort of like a samosa, it’s pastry stuffed with a thick curry, chicken, potatoes, and onion and deep-fried.

Since that original curry puff, I’ve tried as many as I can find in NYC, but I always go back to the one at Lemongrass Grill.

It’s the flakiest, the curry-est, and the most way-too-delicious-to-last-more-than-two-bites. The puff isn’t hard like a samosa’s, so the filling gets to mingle with it.

But really, it wouldn’t be anything without the dipping sauce it comes with. It’s vinegar-based with chunks of cucumber that taste a little bit pickled and a little bit sweet. I didn’t even like cucumbers a couple of years ago, but I would still dig those things out of the little cup with my fingers when my boyfriend wasn’t looking.

And I always follow my curry puff up with their chicken pad thai (which is also my favourite in NYC), or the Gai Tom Kha soup.

Rating One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne-Half Star

Lemongrass Grill
84 William Street
New York, NY 10038 (map)

138 East 34th Street
New York, NY 10016 (map)

2534 Broadway
New York, NY 10025 (map)

61A 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217 (map)

156 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201 (map)

12 Comments

  • Tracey

    Mmmm. Why is EVERYthing made better by deep-frying? I don’t even know how to begin to imagine what the inside of that thing tastes like, but the outside is making my mouth water.

    • plumpdumpling

      It tastes like . . . massaman curry!

      I love foods that can only be described as tasting like themselves.

      I’m glad the outside is working for you, though, because as soon as I posted that photo, I thought, “When you can’t see what’s inside, they look like little poos.”

          • Tracey

            You know if there are, I’ve never been to them.

            I think Kim would eat Thai food for Dinner Club if I would allow it, but I can’t handle the spice, and I’m suuuuper picky about all the flavors and sauces. As much as I want to like Thai dishes, I always feel like I’ve wasted my money on them.

  • Stephanie

    when i am 90 years old i want to sit on a rocking chair under one of those ugly 70’s esque afghans reading a book with a pot of curry simmering on the stove. forget 90, i’m going to do that tomorrow.