In Moon and Back‘s own words, “This is Thai food with volume, attitude, and flavor you can feel”. Honestly, I completely agree.
There is nothing more ubiquitous in the New York food scene than a Thai restaurant. As popular memes have derided, there is most certainly a Thai place near you and if you’re curious why, you can thank the Thai government for that. Jokes aside, you would logically conclude that there’s nothing new to write about but that would be where you’re wrong. To add to my ever-expanding list of great Thai restaurants in New York is Moon and Back, a wonderfully vibrant and eclectic spot nestled on an iconic street in Greenwich village known for housing culinary iconoclasts. And like many of those great restaurants, I had a meal worth writing about.
To me, no Thai restaurant outing can be considered complete without starting with a Thai Iced Tea, one of life’s simplest but greatest pleasures and one of the rare moments a meal benefits from beginning with sweetness. From there, the Moo Puang, or more simply, pork jerky, arrived. Meaty, tender, and slightly chewy strips of meat were arranged along a straw ring, resembling the most delicious keychain holder I’ve ever consumed. Paired with a sharp tamarind sauce and a spicy softened eggplant, the dish finds a beautiful equilibrium between intensity and restraint, each component lifting the other. It was an early standout and a promising sign of things to come.
Photo by The Knockturnal
The Crispy Rice with Crab and Shrimp dipping sauce followed. It was a texturally vibrant marvel, balancing chopped shrimp with generously plump portions of crab. The interplay of crunch and delicacy deepened with each bite, as the flavors grew richer and more pronounced. I love Thai cuisine but so far I was hooked by some uncommon hits.
Photo by The Knockturnal
Next was the Wagyu Ga Prowkai Dow, ground wagyu beef stir-fried with holy basil, bird’s eye chili and garlic, and topped with a fried egg. The description from the menu alone is enough to entice you here. The beef was perfectly cooked without getting tough and grainy as ground beef is prone to do while also perfectly straddling the line of acceptable spiciness for the average person. All of it is perfectly tempered by the rice it’s paired with.
Lastly came the curries: the Crispy Duck in Pineapple Curry and the Crab Curry. Duck is always something that is difficult to prepare and with seamless ease, they have perfected it. If you take nothing away from this review, a restaurant that can nail that is more than worth a visit. The wonderfully crispy duck paired with the sweet and subtle pineapple curry is a dish that warrants a return visit. The Crab Curry was equally compelling. The crab comes in substantial pieces, each coated in a thick, seasoned blend that clings to every crevice. There’s a homestyle quality to it in the very spirit of the dish, evoking the kind of cooking that prioritizes feeling as much as flavor.
Photo by The Knockturnal
As a native New Yorker I often think about how New York evolved over the years and the contrasting tales of the city from myself versus those from my parents. When my father moved here in the early 80s, Thai wasn’t a thing and today there are over 500 spots. May is AAPI Heritage Month and if statistics are reliable, you’re likely to visit a place with Asian cuisine in May. Next time you do, I recommend you not only give Moon and Back a try but take a second to learn about history and genesis of the place you chose to dine. Each restaurant represents the dream of a passionate person who fought the odds to get the chance to share their cuisine with others.
I hope you get the chance to try Moon and Back and see their wonderful dining room and feel free to check out my other pieces.
