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Sea Thai Restaurant and Bistro
114 N 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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I was pleasantly surprised when my good friend texted me a few weeks after summer began to invite me out for a belated birthday dinner.
"Have you ever had Thai food?" she asked me curiously.
I'd had pad thai before, but unfortunately, that was the extent of my foray into this particular cuisine. When I told her as much, I could sense her excitement through her next text. "Ooh, I know just the place to take you!"
This place was called, simply, Sea.
Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Sea Thai Restaurant and Bistro (which is its full name, although everyone I know refers to it as "Sea"), was a treat for the senses. A short walk away from the L train, Sea's brick exterior looked completely unassuming... but the interior was a completely different story.
It took me a second to register the isolated bar/island directly at the front of the restaurant. Nor did I see the silver beaded curtain to its immediate left, beyond which sat a mosaic tiled sink in between the two, airplane style bathrooms. These details (along with the hanging bubble swing/chairs) were unique enough on their own and I definitely checked them out afterwards, but in that initial moment, nothing distract from the restaurant's focal point: a full size, indoor pond smack in the center of the room.
With my jaw dropped, we were seated at a table right next to the it and I watched as a traditional looking wooden boat covered in bright flowers gently floated on the water.
When we received our menus, I absolutely could not decide what I wanted to eat. Not because I was unfamiliar with the menu, although I was, but because I was overwhelmed by how good everything looked, sounded, and smelled (from the other tables). We split the chicken satay with peanut sauce for the appetizer and the fried ice cream for dessert, my friend had the Pad Thai and a Lychee iced tea, and I had Drunken Noodles with Chicken.
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| Chicken satay with peanut sauce. |
We almost forgot to take a picture of the appetizer; we were clearly distracted by eating it! The chicken itself was incredibly juicy--to the extent where I wondered whether it was fully cooked. Honestly, it didn't matter. Compared to most of my experiences chewing dried-out, overcooked meat-on-skewers, I'd much rather have this. And the peanut sauce was cool, creamy, and sweet.
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| My friend, fork at the ready, about to dig into her Pad Thai. |
Sweet, savory, and bright with acidic lime juice, Pad Thai, is most American's introduction to Thai food. Hers smelled wonderful and tasted even better.
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| Drunken noodles (broad rice noodles), with sliced chicken, red pepper, and Chinese broccoli in a spicy sauce. |
My drunken noodles with chicken did not taste of alcohol, for which I was very grateful--what it did have was tender slices of chicken layered above long, flat, and chewy noodles in a slightly spicy, sweet, and salty sauce. Although this was the first time I had ever heard of this dish, as there were few Thai restaurants in the Bronx where I grew up, the dish seemed immediately familiar and comforting. I was extremely pleased with my selection and can't wait to try it again at a higher spice level.
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| Lychee iced tea in a tall, thin glass. |
This was my friend's lychee iced-tea. I didn't try it (so as to not contrast with the strong flavors of my Thai iced tea), but I'd been hearing about it since before we had arrived at the restaurant and it was the first thing she ordered. I loved the almost lava lamp-like colors and the floating lychees in the glass. I made a mental note to order it next time.
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| Fried ice cream |
Last, but not least, was dessert: fried ice cream! By the time we were ready to order, I was already stuffed, but I figured that a bite or two couldn't hurt. I don't regret having it at all, but I do regret not having my camera at the ready when it arrived! Before I knew what was happening, the waiter placed the dish on the table, drizzled some sort of liquor onto the ice cream and lit it on fire!
While I knew certain dishes (bananas foster, crepes Suzette) were traditionally flambeed, I couldn't imagine that this would bode well for the ice cream. But it was fine! The ice cream, encased in some sort of tempura batter, was pretty good, but again, I could only fit one or two bites. I guess I'll have to try it again for a better review.
While I knew certain dishes (bananas foster, crepes Suzette) were traditionally flambeed, I couldn't imagine that this would bode well for the ice cream. But it was fine! The ice cream, encased in some sort of tempura batter, was pretty good, but again, I could only fit one or two bites. I guess I'll have to try it again for a better review.
Despite the ridiculously long trek (for me) to Brooklyn, I would definitely go to Sea again. The food was very good, the atmosphere was beautiful, and Williamsburg is interesting as I'd been told.
Has anyone else been to Sea? I'd love to hear what you all think of the restaurant.
Until next time!
