Betong - Khao Man Gai — Restaurant in New York

This was a rare opportunity for me to go to Canal Street Market as I do not usually eat there very often and businesses inside there have certainly changed since the last time I dined in.

Betong is a cute non nonsense spot that offers its customer authentic Thai food...specifically the ever popular chicken over rice dishes (khao man gai). But first I wanted to give a shoutout to the employees and head chef who make the place what it is today.

There used to be another location in Flushing but that recently shut down so now they are fully focused on the CSM location. They are very warm and welcoming. It was not just how I was treated, but I did see how happy their regular customers are when they come to dine in (there are two spots at the actual stall instead of looking for seating around the food market designated seating area.

The nice lady who took my order was very polite and friendly. I saw a lot of combinations and was confused as to what I wanted. But she was very patient in explaining and told me a fun fact that I would have not known otherwise about the name of their restaurant. The name Betong they use as a homage to an actual town in Southern Thailand. I felt bad I could not converse with the head chef due to my Thai speaking ability at zero perecent. She is a very nice older lady who really loves what she does and passionate about her business. I do not smile often but I had to show my gratitude to her somehow for making such delicious food. She is front and center working very hard everyday and has my utmost respect.

It was just me dining that night and I was hungry. After hearing the recommendations from the initial nice lady I knew what I wanted....everything. Well all right not everything but definitely some signature dishes.

For the appetizer, I decided on a chicken bun which is their special grilled chicken inside a steamed Taiwanese white bun (gua bao) that you see often used in other Asian restaurants as well. They add vegetable salad and tamarind sauce. If steamed bread is not your thing and you wanted a healthy alternative they have a wrap version (which I did not order).

Now for the entrees!

The first order as the steamed chicken and rice (the classic Hainanese chicken). It came with their delicious ginger rice, cucumber and ginger sauce. It reminded me how much I love this version of chicken.

The second main I ordered was their somtum (papaya salad with a bit of a kick) and gai yang (super delicious grilled chicken). There was a side of peanuts as well and tamarind sauce on the side to dip.

It was a lot of food for a normal person but luckily I eat a lot. And they offer take away options if you do not want to eat in the market.

Their food is slow cooked so the flavor is seeped into every bite. If you want to try both version of their chicken (khao man gai and gai yang) then you can alternatively order a very convenient combo option they offer. Just please keep in mind the portions of chicken will not be has hearty as if you ordered each main entree separately. So this is perfect if you are not very hungry or are on a time constraint.

To wash it all down you know I had to get the classic Thai tea.

I really loved the food there and next time I dine in I may try their appetizer wrap or chicken salad but their main dishes are a must for me always.

If you have not tried it I highly recommend and if you are a regular there then you can resonate with how happy I was eating there. Both food and service deserve...

The main reason I came all the way to Canal Market was because it was halal!! If you ever come here order the combo menu because it makes it so much cheaper than if you order it separate. I got the combo number 4 which was papaya salad + grilled chicken, sticky rice, and a drink. I asked if I could change the sticky rice to a chicken bun and the lady said yes !! She was so nice. Even though on the menu the chicken bun is a bit more expensive than the sticky rice . I didn’t wait for long and my order was ready, the portion was so big !! Before coming here I read some reviews saying that the portion isn’t that much but when I saw it myself today , it was definitely a lot !! They gave so much chicken and salad. The salad itself was very refreshing , the veggies were fresh , perfect amount of sour for me, not too sour that I couldn’t enjoy. There was just this unusual smell that I couldn’t distinguish what was it but I’m guessing maybe fish sauce? The chicken was super tender, and they gave me so much pieces I was so full finishing everything!! Maybe next time I would ask them to grill the chicken a bit longer so it could be crispier because it was a bit more on the soft side ( I don’t know if that’s just how it’s supposed to be though, I just like it cripsyy ) the chicken also wasn’t hot so I’m guessing it was already cooked before hand? For the chicken bun, my honest opinion, I think it is a bit too small for $5.5 , maybe it’s worth it if you get the combo meal, but if youre just getting the bun I will tell you before hand it is small. The bun was veryyy soft though !! Also not served hot And for the Thai tea , it was exactly how I liked it !! I’ve read so many reviews saying it’s too sweet - do people not know Thai tea IS supposed to be that sweet !! It’s not a drink that’s supposed to be watery, it’s supposed to be rich and creamy and that’s exactly what I was served ! They also put a lot of tea , sometimes when you order a drink at a restaurant it’s just full of ice, but this time it was a lot of tea and that’s coming from me ( someone who drinks a lot ) I did read that if you give a five star review you can claim a free drink , but I was too full to do so , maybe I can claim it next time I go there? 😄 Moving on, I also ordered the mango sticky rice . Very first thing I tried was the coconut dressing , it was so good . Perfect combination of sweet and savory! And the sticky rice was also DELICIOUS!! the only thing that made me frown a bit was the mango I got was a bit sour. Texture wise it was great, but to match it with the sticky rice it could’ve been sweeter!! Nevertheless it was still yummy the sticky rice and coconut dressing saved the day. I hope to get a sweeter mango if I come again !! The staff were all nice and welcoming, my total came up to $33 . Also to let yall know beforehand, it’s better if you pay in cash because there is a credit card fee. I posted some photos but I don’t know why google is not allowing me to combine the photos with the review Anyone considering to stop by please do and try...

Found a nice casual spot for incredible papaya salad and grilled chicken near Chinatown. Located in Canal Street Maket, BeTong is a food counter specialized in khao man gai. The pricing is very affordable, meaning you don’t have to splurge to get quality thai food.

＊Papaya Salad * My favorite of the night. It is an assortment of papaya, long beans, cherry tomatoes and crush peanuts. Extremely appetizing as it is drizzled with a spicy tangy dressing. I’ll def come back and order this again and again esp on hot summer day.

＊Grilled Chicken Rice ** I poured the tamarind ginger sauce over ginger rice and BOMB it was amazing!! The chicken was soooooo tender and also had a great chemistry with the sauce.

＊Chicken Bun The grilled chicken was flavorful and got a good fat-to-meat ratio. Sadly the steamed bun was lukewarm… It was probably premade and they didn’t reheat the food before serving.

＊Curry Chicken and Roti The green curry was thick and creamy with a nice touch of coconut milk. Flavor-wise we really liked it, and hoped it could be spicier. However the roti was also served cold… Don’t repeat my mistake—get the rice to pair with your curry.

＊Thai Iced Tea Not too sweet. A nice accompaniment to your...