Chom’s adds to Troy’s diverse food options
TROY, N.Y.» Since I starting working in downtown Troy four years ago, I’m constantly blown away by the ever-growing, diverse and amazing food options this city is so lucky to have.
Within walking distance from my office I can eat Mexican, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Irish, Korean, Carribean, Hawaiian, Japanese, Indian and now Thai cuisine.
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Chom’s Cafe for the first time. Chom’s Cafe is primarily a Thai restaurant, as owner Chom Kammoei is originally from Thailand, but it also serves some Vietnamese and Chinese food.
Upon arriving, Kammoei gave me a warm welcome, then proceeded to introduce me to several different dishes that I’d never tried before.
My first taste of Chom’s Cafe was a nice, hot bowl of Tom Yum Soup ($6). Made with lemongrass, kaffir lime, king oyster mushrooms and tomatoes in a chili broth, “It’s spicy, sweet, sour, tangy - everything,” Kammoei told me before I took my first spoonful, and she was right. It had all of the flavors.
In all of my sampling at Chom’s Cafe - everything across the board was incredibly flavorful.
The dish I was most blown away with was the Lemongrass Mussel appetizer ($12). I was presented with a beauti-
ful, large spread of mussels on the half shell, with the meat already detached for consumer convenience. On each one was a spicy red curry sauce and fresh lemongrass, and it was absolutely delicious.
Next up, boneless chicken wings ($12) - but not like the kind you get at the pub. These wings from Chom’s Cafe were stuffed with ground chicken, shrimp, cellophane noodle, carrot and cilantro. A yummy combination alone, they come with sweet chili sauce for dipping, and make for a good, shareable appetizer.
The only dish I was already familiar with on the afternoon of my Chom’s Cafe feast was Pad Thai ($8 lunch/$12 dinner) - Thai rice noodles stir fried with egg, bean sprouts, green onions and ground peanut. Though I’ve never met a Pad Thai dish I didn’t like, Chom’s was particularly satisfying - and a super safe bet for new, less adventurous diners that might not be ready for all the intense flavors I experienced during my first meal at Chom’s.
Finally, I was treated with my first ever Crispy Fish Tamarind ($19), a house special entree at Chom’s Cafe. While some might be squeamish about a crispy fried tilapia looking up at you from the plate, my suggestion is to just get over it, because it tastes excellent. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this one, but then, there I was popping back each fried piece of fish until I finished it off. The sweet and tangy tamarind sauce was something new to me, and I simply couldn’t get enough of it.
So, of everything I had at Chom’s Cafe, I recommend it all, with an extra nudge toward the Lemongrass Mussels if you’re into shellfish.
Much of what I had during my was seafood, but Chom’s Cafe has lots of menu options for the meat-lover, vegetarian or vegan - including General Tso Chicken, Tofu Summer Rolls, Pineapple Fried Rice, as well as all types of Vietnamese Vermicelli and Pho. In the future, Kammoei plans to add a sushi bar, too.
Located at 32 Fourth St. in downtown Troy, Chom’s Cafe is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Dine-in, take-out and delivery service are all available.
More information about Chom’s Cafe is available online at www.chomscafe. com or www.facebook. com/chomscafe. To contact Chom’s Cafe by phone call 518-238-3037.