This past weekend, Soothr and CityView Racquet Club brought food and community together for a media and creator preview in Long Island City.
Held during the closing weekend of the US Open, the evening placed a full Thai tasting menu on the court before opening the space for tennis after dinner. We joined guests beneath CityView’s indoor dome, where the a tennis themed dinner table ran along the court. White and green table settings, flowers, and tennis balls complemented the dress code. Branded caps sat beside the place cards, while the menu divided dinner into “First Serve,” “Set Point” and “Final Match.” A DJ played nearby as the bar kept the tennis wordplay going.
Photo Courtesy: Soothr
At the bar, cocktails like the Rally combined Aperol, lemongrass, lime and sparkling white tea for a bright welcome cocktail. The Spin offered in a silkier direction with vodka, sake, Midori, elderflower and oat milk. The Tiebreak was the favorite of the evening, made with peach, mango, and sparkling water.
Soothr opened in the East Village in 2020 with a menu shaped by the regional recipes its founders grew up eating in Thailand. Its name, pronounced “sood,” is the Thai word for “recipe.” The courtside dinner brought that family style approach outside the restaurant. Eva and the Soothr team introduced each course as it arrived, beginning with scallop and mango granita, miang hamachi, and a wagyu tartlet crowned with uni.
The miang hamachi was an early standout. The yellowtail crudo came wrapped with fresh Thai herbs, savory peanut dressing and finger lime while citrus gave the fish a clean lift. Courses arrived on banana leaves, floral plates and bamboo trays, maintaining their detail despite the unconventional setting.
Photo Courtesy: Soothr
Conversation became as important as the food. Everyone arrived from a different industry, but the food provided an easy introduction to get to know one another. Each course produced comparisons and questions, giving the table plenty to discuss.
“Set Point” brought Yaowarat-style roasted duck buns, lotus leaf-steamed rice, banana leaf-grilled branzino and dry khao soi with grilled dry-aged beef. The khao soi was the highlight. Its northern Thai curry was rich and velvety, with just the right amount of spice. Even at a table where opinions changed from dish to dish, the curry drew unanimous praise.
Photo Courtesy: Soothr
The dish also hinted at what is ahead. ANNAM, the team’s modern Vietnamese restaurant planned for February 2027, will reinterpret Soothr through a contemporary, curry-focused menu.
After dinner, guests traded seats for racquets. CityView opened the court for casual play and supplied all the equipment, allowing regular players and complete beginners to join. We also left with a tennis ball that has since found a second life as a surprisingly effective massage tool.
