THAI FUSION LOVE STORY
Bed-Stuy’s Little Grenjai deliciously merges couple’s identities
I exit the G Train at Bedford-Nostrand Aves., walk a little over 10 minutes, and there it is: Little Grenjai, an unsuspecting new Thai restaurant in Bed-Stuy.
A friend who lives in the Brooklyn neighborhood told me about Little Grenjai. The eatery is on the smaller side, in typical New York fashion. I take a seat near a window, situated right next to the coffee counter.
I start off with the crab rangoon. The crispy pastry filled with a creamy crab concoction is the Thai equivalent of the mozzarella stick — by which I mean it’s a greasy starter that won’t change your life, per se, but will also rarely let you down. The ones at Little Grenjai started my meal off on the right (crispy and slightly greasy) foot.
Chef Trevor Lombaer, who hails from Chicago, insists I try the holy basil pork stir fry, or pad kra pao. Twist my arm, Chef. But the elephant in the room is, why is a dude named Trevor from Chicago cooking up Thai food in Bed-Stuy?
Turns out, his wife and co-owner, Sutathip Aiemsaard, would have a bit of influence on that.
Years back, Lombaer booked a oneway ticket to Bangkok to learn about Thai cuisine. There he met Aiemsaard. It was love at first sight — or, in this case, at first bite, since the couple fell in love over holy basil pork stir fry. They continued to travel around Southeast Asia and eventually all over the world.
After globe-trotting, they settled in Bed-Stuy. They tell me they wanted Little Grenjai in this neighborhood specifically because they felt Bed-Stuy needed it. While it took a long time to find the space, they weren’t willing to compromise on location by opening the restaurant anywhere else.
Fast-forward to the present, and here I am, trying the dish they fell in love over. It comes out with a fried duck egg, with crispy edges and a perfectly gooey golden yolky center.
After one bite, I think, I could probably fall in love over this dish, too. It’s spicy, fragrant, and the little kicks of vinegar from what Aiemsaard refers to as “crack sauce.” It’s made with fish sauce, lime and chili, and it cuts the fattiness of the pork nicely.
I happened to visit Little Grenjai the day they added pad thai to the menu. Though rarely my first choice when eating Thai food, I had to try theirs. I added shrimp, and it was indeed a satisfying dish, with chewy noodles, crunchy spiced nuts, succulent shrimp, and no shortage of scallions or bean sprouts.
A dish that’s a merge of the couple’s identities and a true symbol of their love is the krapow smash burger, which is available only for lunch. They have innovatively taken all of the elements of the holy basil pork stir fry pork and put it between sesame buns. I was admittedly skeptical when I heard it had a blend of both beef and pork, but that burger is a fusion dish I would endorse for president of all fusion dishes. It has great heat with the addition of a Thai-inspired giardiniera, fresh basil and American cheese to tie it all together.
I went in for lunch, but their dinner menu offers alternative dishes, like a crispy sea bass with sour mango salad ($36) and a grilled, dry-aged pork chop ($48).
As I got ready to leave, completely stuffed, I had just one more question for the charming couple. What does “Little Grenjai” mean?
“’Grenjai’ means to be compassionate and considerate. But ‘Little Grenjai’ is kind of poking fun at that concept, because we’re only a Little Grenjai,” Aiemsaard says with a smirk. “My kitchen, my rules.”
l Address: 477 Gates Ave, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216 l Phone: N/A l Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:45 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:45 p.m. l Prices: Lunch $8-$17; Dinner $4-$48 l Takeout available; reservations accepted for dinner
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