The Great NYC Thai Restaurant Census: A Quest for Pad See Ew and Answers
Ah, New York City. The city that never sleeps, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of... and apparently, a land flowing with rivers of green curry and mountains of pad thai. But just how many Thai restaurants are we talking about here? Buckle up, spice lovers, because we're diving into the delicious unknown.
Counting Chickens (or Should We Say, Lemongrass?)
There are whispers on the web, theories tossed around like fried shallots, with some sources claiming there are over 700 Thai restaurants in the Big Apple. 700! That's enough papaya salads to feed a small army (though, to be fair, a very happy army).
But here's the thing, folks: counting Thai restaurants in NYC is trickier than navigating rush hour on a single subway track. Some spots might be hole-in-the-wall gems with a menu scrawled on a napkin, while others are Michelin-starred palaces of perfect papaya.
Do we count the trendy Thai fusion joints serving avocado on everything? What about the food trucks slinging mango sticky rice like it's going out of style? The questions multiply faster than green curry multiplies cravings.
The Great Tom Yum Test: Separating the Khao Pad from the Khao Sok
So, how do we get to the bottom of this delicious dilemma? Here are a few ideas, mostly involving our taste buds:
- The Tourist Test: We unleash a horde of confused visitors, armed with nothing but sporks and a love for pad thai. Wherever they land, we mark it as a Thai restaurant. (Just kidding, Department of Tourism! We wouldn't do this... unless...)
- The Spice Sleuths: We train a special task force (us, volunteers are always welcome) to sniff out lemongrass and chilies from a block away. Every whiff, a Thai restaurant. (Disclaimer: May require significant hydration breaks involving bubble tea.)
- The App Attack: We build a super-powered app that combines Yelp reviews with the sheer number of times "pad thai" is mentioned on social media. Just geo-locate and follow the delicious data!
The Verdict: We're Drowning in Deliciousness (But in a Good Way)
The truth is, the exact number of Thai restaurants in NYC might be a mystery forever. But that's the beauty of it, right? Every corner could hold a hidden gem, a new favorite spot to get your mango sticky rice fix.
So, the next time you're craving a taste of Thailand, don't worry about the numbers. Just follow your nose (and maybe Google Maps a little bit) and embrace the delicious adventure. After all, in this concrete jungle, a good Thai restaurant is always worth finding.
