The air was warm and skies friendly the day my friends and I went for our monthly lunch excursion, a good day for some Thai food in downtown New Haven.
Temperatures were far colder the last time I ate at Jeera Thai on Crown Street. Sitting inside, I had admired the coziness of the space, how it felt like a secret den of lemongrass and kaffir lime among the towers of clubgoers and Yalies.
I feared dining in warmer weather would be more crowded: The cash-only restaurant has seating for about 10 people, who may quickly become fast friends in such close quarters.
But here we were, a warm day on the edge of summer, at a small table out front with no worry of elbow room. For those not so lucky Jeera has robust takeaway service.
To start we ordered the Green Emerald Dumplings on the recommendation of one of my companions ($6.95). Apparently weren’t enough made in the kitchen for a full order, but the server offered to bring over the three that were left (the perfect number) at a discounted price. They were fresh and delicious, and the accompanying soy-vinegar sauce had the right amount of tang.
I had to have the somtum, or green papaya salad ($7.95), a personal favorite. The salad varies across Southeast Asian cuisines and usually consists of a shredded unripe papaya (sometimes with small amounts of other veggies in the mix), basil, peanuts and a sweet and spicy garlicky fish sauce dressing. Not the sort of dish for a business lunch, unless your business is maximum flavor. Jeera didn’t disappoint with an addictive dressing and a spicy punch.
Jeera offers solid lunch specials, with 13 options of noodles, rice, stir fry and curry. An order with tofu or chicken is $7.95; shrimp is a dollar more. I ordered the massaman curry with chicken, a robust and creamy curry of coconut, peanut, potato, carrot and onion.
One companion opted for the special of pad pak ruam, a stir fry of bamboo shoots and baby bok choy, with fried tofu. It was good, but wouldn’t be a first choice again when dishes of maximum flavor are clear and present options.
My other companion went the salad route, ordering the Tuna Mango Salad ($12.95). The dish resembled the papaya salad in both composition and flavor, but with more sweetness from mango, and more onion punch. A fillet of tuna rested beneath the salad, and though definitely sizable, it seemed cooked a bit more than the “seared” advertised on the menu. No matter, when my friend had her fill, I eagerly finished her plate.
>>Jeera Thai, 216 Crown St., New Haven, is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Cash only. Information: 203-562-5856 and jeerathai.com.
