New York Thai Restaurant with a 4.8 Rating 🌟

🌿TL;DR: The flavors are too strong and a bit offbeat. Personally, I didn't think it was great. Chalong Southern Thai: A Guide for Your Visit 🌿 📍 Address: 749 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019 💰 Average Cost: Around $50-$60 per person 🌟 Recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐ Yesterday, I visited this highly-rated Southern Thai restaurant, Chalong, in Hell’s Kitchen. With its 4.8 rating, I was expecting a delightful surprise, but the experience was a bit underwhelming. Here are my honest thoughts for anyone considering a visit. 🌿 The first dish was a raw oyster salad. The oysters were not very fresh, with a strong fishy smell that even the accompanying sauce couldn’t mask. I was hoping for that slightly sweet, refreshing taste, but instead, they were quite hard to swallow. 😔 The second dish was soft-shell crab curry, which is supposed to be their signature dish. However, I found the flavors overpowering. 🌿 There was a strong, almost gasoline-like odor when you first took a bite. My friend said it might be the natural flavor of the crab, but the thick sauce overwhelmed the dish and masked the natural taste of the ingredients. 🦀 #NewYorkThaiFood 🌆ThaiCuisine