During a quick visit to The Big Apple last week, my husband and I had dinner at Uncle Boon’s, a new Thai and Rotisserie Grill downtown in Nolita. It took several tries to book, since this modest-sized restaurant sets aside only a few reservations, encouraging walk-ins instead. I persevered on line, booking a table for two, and hit the jackpot! Cozy and unpretentious, Uncle Boon’s delivered tempting dishes with bold, multi-layered flavors.

Crispy Frog Legs with Noodles, Lemongrass and Thai Herbs Salad

I started with a sautéed chopped lamb salad with cucumbers, mint, shallots, and chiles, a dish with plenty of heat, My spouse tried crispy frog legs served over glass noodles garnished with a lemongrass and Thai herb salad. Both were delicious. For mains my boneless beef short ribs were fork tender and extra spicy. But, definitely, the winning dish of the evening was my husband’s roasted duck leg served in a sublime soy anise broth along with a caramelized tangerine and a steamed duck egg. (I went to sleep dreaming about that beautifully seasoned broth!)

Roasted Duck Leg in Soy Anise Broth

We added sides of sticky rice and roasted flat bread to round out the menu, and for dessert shared house-made coconut ice cream as well as a light confection of sliced mango in coconut cream atop sweetened sticky rice.

The service was attentive and the room we dined in, although dark, was comfortable. Small plates, which included our generously portioned salads, run $14 to 15, and mains $20 to $26. Our tab for food with a beer, including taxes and tip, averaged about $75 per person—not bad for a hot new restaurant in The Big Apple!

Uncle Boon’s
7 Spring St.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (646) 370-6650