Since opening in 2013, Uncle Boons has consistently remained a Nolita hotspot in Manhattan.

I first heard about the one Michelin starred Thai restaurant at my workplace as they are one of the contributing restaurants for In Situ. The funky eclectic vibe paired with delicious renditions of classic Thai dishes is well worth waiting in line for (since they don’t take resos). We arrived 15 minutes prior to dinner opening and there was already a significant line. Luckily, we were seated in the first wave! This is definitely a restaurant where you want to share family style so you can try more dishes. Even with the two of us, we couldn’t order as much as we would have liked as some dishes were quite substantial. Everything on the menu sounded great but the waitress did warn us about some of the super spicy dishes that they offer. They sounded enticing but neither Tommy or I can handle much spice.

Yum Mamoung: Green Mango Salad with Avocado, Dried Squid, and Crushed Peanuts (8.5/10).

I love papaya salad but this was slightly different than what I typically have. The green papaya had a softer texture and every strand was coated in dressing. The creamy avocado was a new addition as I’ve never seen this in papaya salad. The crispy pieces of dried squid and peanuts added crunch and all the herbaceous herbs added freshness.

Sai Krok Ampai: Grilled Issan Pork and Rice Sausage (7.5/10).

The homemade sour rice pork sausage was expertly made with a nice snap to it. The underneath cabbage slaw was surprisingly super spicy and unexpected. I personally would have liked the spice toned down just a tad so I could have eaten more of the slaw with the sausage.

Khao Soi Kaa Kaj: Northern Style Golden Curry with Egg Noodles and Chicken (8.5/10).

This was a real winner. That umami rich golden curry had so much depth of flavor. Homemade chewy egg noodles were swimming in the curry with tender chicken leg meat topped with pickled mustard greens and onions.

Coconut Ice Cream Sundae (8.5-9/10).

Get this without a doubt. Their signature dessert was stellar with creamy coconut ice cream, a whopping amount of fluffy whipped cream, toasted coconut, and candied peanuts. Soo good.

I totally get why Uncle Boons is such a great neighborhood joint. This no frills restaurant serves tasty Thai food and had some bomb Thai iced tea too. For a casual dinner out, this is the place to go so my overall rating is an 8/10.