Kao Soy
“A northern thai curry soup with noodles and two super tender chicken drumsticks.”
“We had the chicken and shrimp dumplings, the Kao Soy and Sai-Oua, which was a crazy complex pork sausage.”
“We got a whole host of foods that represent Northern Thai cooking- the fried banana fritters which were BOMB and the sausages which had a really fragrant taste of lemongrass and pork.”
Kao Soy
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Pretty good Thai food…the only reason they received 4 stars is because the snapper took forever to come out. The waiter apologized numerous times regarding the wait and it was much appreciated. Other than that, we were super satisfied with our meals.
Amazing Thai food – truly authentic!!! Decor is nothing special and they're cash only. Really, really impressed by the flavors….even in basic dishes.
The signature Kao Soy dish was kind of overwhelming (it looks like a treasure trove, but I found it to be sort of bland, and after about 30 seconds everything was soggy and kind of unpalatable), the sausage was supremely dry, and whatever appetizer we ordered was frozen in the middle.
The banana blossom was definitely yummy and not what we expected at all, in a good way, and I found the chicken in the Kao Soy to be really good, but wasn't such a fan of the noodles in the dish – both the super soft noodles and crunchy ones. The beef pad thai was very sweet and I would def skip that next time. I liked their thai iced tea – not too milky. We wouldn't come back again since it's far from us but I'm glad we tried it. 🙂
Best Thai food I've had since… well, since our honeymoon in Thailand 2015, actually. Kao Soy serves fantastic Thai dishes, with a focus on the Northern region of Chiang Mai, a part of Thailand that enjoys strong culinary influences from neighboring China and Burma. The dishes feel both comfort food and surprising new things, with great attention to every ingredient in each dish.
The place is mall, with enough room for about 20 people, plus 2-3 stools by the bar. Tables are also small, so that you will have to finish a dish before you can attack the next one, also thanks to the use of those extra-wide/deep dinner plates that take up a lot of space[1].
Dinner started with fried banana blossom with spicy garlic-lime sauce & sweet peanut chili sauce. This dish is an appetizer only in name, since the 3 pieces that are being served are as large as they are filling. Definitely a dish to share.
This was followed by a papaya salad with green papaya with shrimps, tomatoes, long bean, garlic, chili & peanut. This salad was wonderful: a perfect balance between refreshing and spicy. Just keep in mind that this is Thai spicy: this is a hot dish for people who enjoy spicy food.
The Kao Soy was amazing: coconut milk Chiang Mai curry with a chicken leg and egg noodles, topped with fried egg noodles and, papaya fritters served with scallion, pickle, chili paste, red shallot and mustard green. Wonderful presentation and wonderful flavors. I thoroughly enjoyed the coconut milk curry, so much so that I scooped up every single drop of it.
We then had the Sai-Oua: a spicy northern thai herbal pork sausage with nam prik noom (northern thai-chili dip), fried marinated pork, assorted vegetables, and sticky rice. Very interesting dish, in which the meat almost plays second fiddle to the aromatic herbs and spices that make this dish stand out. The little pieces of fried marinated pork are also extremely tasty.
We finished the meal with sticky rice and fresh mango.
Overall this was a very hefty meal for the two of us; in retrospect we could have done without the appetizer (and the dessert…) and would still have left full and satisfied. Nevertheless, I regret nothing. Nothing! In fact, I look forward to coming back again and enjoy some more delicious Thai dishes.
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[1] If you are more than 2 people, I suggest you call to get a reservation.
Ranks up there with some of the best Thai experiences I've had in any of the boroughs up to this point. Had the Tom Yum soup – always a gold standard in my book. Loved it – they give you the option to have whatever kind of meat or vegetables you want. I chose the veggie option – Thai straw mushrooms, baby corn, cabbage, onions, broccoli – were nicely cooked in the lime-y broth, and had a slight kick which I always like. Went with a simple dish, the pad garlic, which had a nice flavor accompanied by tofu, cabbage, broccoli, and onions. Wish there was a little more sauce, but on the whole it was delicious. Tofu was absolutely perfect – golden fried goodness. Rice was fluffy and well cooked – which is kind of hard to come by these days. Also had a Thai iced tea that wasn't too sweet. Service was incredible – the waiter asked us how our food was and even moved us to a warmer area in the restaurant. Highly recommended if you are in the Red Hook area, but it's totally worth the travel.
This is the best Thai food I have ever had! We were staying almost directly upstairs from the restaurant and when we arrived to Brooklyn we were beyond hungry. My husband and I decided that Kao Soy would have to do since we had no energy to go anywhere else. Eating here is a blessing from the gods! We immediately ordered some appetizers and almost as soon as the kitchen received our order, food started coming to the table! We were truly impressed with how quickly we were served. But then, we were immediately taken to Nirvana! I can't believe there is anything on this menu that does not taste amazing! We went a little crazy ordering appetizers, but how can you not when the items are so reasonably priced? To start, we ordered the banana blossom fritters, fried fish balls, steamed chicken & shrimp dumplings and the fried calamari. Everything was cooked perfectly! Our favorite thing was the banana blossom fritters… what the heck is it exactly? I have no idea, but it was AMAZING! From the moment I set foot in Kao Soy I was craving a classic spicy Thai curry and therefore I ordered a beef Kang Dang for my main course. WOW! It really hit the spot! So lovely! My only disappointment was that we never got the chance to go back during our stay in Red Hook. But, one thing is for sure… we will be back!
Always nice to warm up on a cold winter day with comfort food. Kao soy warms your belly but they could (literally) turn up the heat a little in the place.
Tucked right behind the bus stop is an authentic northern Thai restaurant with all the delicious classics!
Calamari fritters were perfectly fried crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and served inside a wonton skin flower. The dipping sauce is more chili than sweet which was awesome.
Tom yum soup is sour and savory and piping hot – yum!
Now for the main dish -kao soy is served with two drumsticks, heaping noodles both in the curry and on top, onions, pickled vegs, and a tasty sweet hot paste. The dish is def enough for two to share.
Can't wait to come back and try the rest!