Sripraphai

New Year's Eve dinner at SRIPRAPHAI (64-13 39th Ave. Woodside). I ordered 3 courses with the intention to get more. In the future, I'd like to make my way through the entire menu and try everything at least once.

The first sip of longan juice instantly reminded me of dried persimmons. It was delicious and actually tasted exactly like the chewy meat inside a dried persimmon. It is like drinking a magic syrup that transports you to childhood.

longan juice

The first course was seasoned pork with garlic and pepper. I was expecting something crunchy and extremely salty, like the salt and pepper squid at Hop Kee. This pork is nothing like the Hop Kee squid. It's soft, moist and delicate. I like everything with a hint of spice and the little saucer of Sripraphai's killer peppers laced the pork with just enough heat.

seasoned pork with garlic & pepper

Followed by fried crab in green curry with pumpkin, green beans and pineapple. It's a large, fried crab in mild curry. I prefer smaller crabs to for eating whole. When I eat a crab, I don't want to taste and see its lungs and guts in vivid detail. The first bite is the best and what follows is a let down. This dish is not for me though it's one of their most popular dishes.

fried soft shell crab in green curry

The one other time I had fish at Sri, I dropped a whole plate of it mostly uneaten on the floor. So this time I tried again, with red snapper with garlic and onions. All that crunchy fried garlic garnishing the fish didn't do much for me. Next time I want to try a whole fish that is saucy.

fried red snapper with garlic & onions

For dessert, the two of us shared a coconut ice cream.

coconut ice cream in young coconut shell