Jill 💫 NYC Photographer

Captured Thai Rice: A Journey Beyond Borders at @platformbyjbf and presented by @eatthairice 💛 It was an inspiring evening celebrating Thai rice through creativity, craftsmanship, and collaboration from an incredible group of culinary talents. Everyone had different favorites. Which dish would you choose? 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗣 🍚 Noah Sandoval (@noahsandoval ) 🍚 Neal Harden (@chefnealh ) 🍚 Pithayakorn “Fo” Panapoi of La Dong (@ladongnyc ) 🍚 Oksana Chepoy of @floretysons 🍚All cocktails by Chompon “Boong” Boonnak (@boongboonnak ) of Mahaniyom 𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗗’𝗢𝗘𝗨𝗩𝗥𝗘𝗦 🌼Black Sticky Rice Cake with Shrimp Flakes, Coconut, Scallion Lard, Shallot, Black Pepper, and Fish Sauce / La Dong 🍓Hom Mali Jasmine Rice Dumpling with Strawberry and Spicy Lemongrass-Avocado Sauce / ABC Restaurants, abcV 🐟Puffed Riceberry Rice Crisp with Cured Fjord Trout Belly, Ginger-Lime Leaf Vinaigrette, Yuzu Gel, and Herbs / Oriole 🍹Thai Sato - Fermented Thai Rice Wine 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦 🥩Black Sticky Rice with Vietnamese Beef Tartare, Fermented Anchovy, Shrimp Paste, Vietnamese Herbs, and Toasted Sticky Rice Powder / La Dong 🍈Melon Highball - Tequila Ocho Plata with Honeydew, Galangal, Makrut Lime, and Carbonation 🍚Steamed and Crispy Fried Brown Rice with Fava Beans, Spring Wild Mushrooms and Herbs; and Fermented Sea Rose / ABC Restaurants, abcV 🍸Upside-Down Martini - Toasted Rice Vermouth with Makwen Bitters and Bluecoat Gin 🐟Poached Fjord Trout with Saffron Dashi, Charred Chestnut Mushroom Conserva, and Riceberry Rice Amazake / Oriole 🥭Mango Sticky Rice - Elijah Craig Bourbon with Mango, Coconut, and Pandan 🫐Pandan-Infused Rice Pudding-Crème Brûlée with Sesame Brittle and Berry Compote / Flore Cafe

Narkara brings something special to the Thai culinary scene. Their inventive use of rice, from waffles and ice cream to chicken wings and even their own house-brewed rice lager, made for a unique and memorable experience. The beautiful space is ideal for a date night, an intimate dinner, a group meal or simply snagging a seat at the bar for happy hour!
 What we had: 🦀Crab Butter Custard with Uni 🍗Stuffed Chicken Wing 🥩Seared New York Strip Steak 🦆Seared Duck Dry Stir-fry Curry 🍚Savory Pork Blood Rice 🍨Taro Custard with Black Sticky Rice Ice Cream Detail in post* 
Which would you try? 📍@NarkaraNYC 👋@MilestonePRNYC 🍚@eatthairice

We visited @LaDongNYC to explore the role of Thai rice in Vietnamese cooking. The colonial-inspired space features wooden arches, floral textures, and softly glowing lanterns, creating a setting that feels both transportive and intimate. The food was just as pretty as the space!
 What we had: 🍘Sesame Rice Cracker / Bánh Tráng Mè 🌶️Steamed Rice Cake / Bánh Bèo (GF) 🥩Shaking Beef / Bò Lúc Lắc 🍲Claypot Rice / Cơm Tay Cầm Detail in post* Thai rice appears in so many forms and actively searching for it makes it interesting. There are the texture changes and the flavors it absorbs or complements. What’s your favorite way to have it? 📍@LaDongNYC 💅@zyn_zieng 🍚@eatthairice

Chef @natwalan_lim , the talent behind Chalong and Unglo, brings a different energy to Godunk. While Chalong focuses on Southern Thai cuisine, Godunk showcases Thai street food from Bangkok. The space also features subtle cinema-inspired touches, with a movie playing in the background and cocktails named after classic films. In this spread, Thai rice is featured in five ways: as an accompaniment for bold flavors, in crab fried rice, in comforting boat noodles (rice noodles) and in a refreshing salad. In the crispy rice salad, there is egg coated rice and crispy rice to add texture to this light and vibrant dish. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗸: 🔸Crispy Rice Salad 🔸Pla-yang / Grilled Whole Branzino 🔸Kra Pao Beef 🔸4x100 Fried Rice 🔸Nam Tok A5 Wagyu 🔸Hunglay Pork Rolled 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀: 🔸Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 🔸Thai Iced Tea 🔸Cloudy Corn Which dishes would you try? 📍@godunknyc 💅@katetheprqueen 🍚@eatthairice

Experiencing @yamadanyc twice this year was an absolute honor, and ending the year with this post feels right. It was one of the best dining experiences I’ve had. Caption from the post: You know that cool, faintly humid air that hangs around when there’s morning dew, or the feeling of the first leaves start to crunch with each step? A meal at Yamada somehow carries those sensations…not as metaphors, but as flavors you can actually feel. Yamada specializes in kaiseki, a centuries-old form of multi-course dining built on seasonality, subtlety, and a kind of disciplined restraint. Chef Yamada holds that framework with devoted care. The bones of tradition stay exactly where they’ve always been; he simply dresses them in fabrics a bit finer, colors a touch more saturated. Dining here isn’t merely about consuming food; it’s about entering a quiet dialogue with Chef Yamada himself. You begin to understand him not through words, but through the way he composes a dish. He places each ingredient with the deliberateness of someone telling a story in a language that only the palate speaks. Nothing arrives carelessly. The premium ingredients aren’t there to flex; they’re there to reveal. And that is what makes the meal extraordinary: the sense that you’re not just eating, but being gently ushered into a world the chef has crafted with intention, memory, and a keen awareness of the present moment…an experience that lingers long after the last bite.

It’s been many moons since I went back to @cravefishbar , and it makes me happy to see they’ve been prospering all these years and still dropping $1 oysters on Mondays. It’s the kind of place where you catch up with friends in the neighborhood over happy hour and good seafood. They also have a nice amount of gluten free items (such as the calamari and barramundi). Rest of the info is in the slides! Thanks for reading 💛

Ramen Ishida is a popular spot among ramen lovers and reasonably so. Their Chelsea location (@ramenishida.chelsea ) has a special option to add shaved truffle on the New York Style Shoyu Ramen. This ramen really has a strong truffle flavor that we absolutely loved. They also serve @sorate.co matcha! Other bites we enjoyed include the Sesame Cucumber👌

If you’re in LIC, and you’re searching for something casual and still has care in their quality, @matsunori.handrollbar checks the boxes. Their fillings for some of the wraps are pretty large so expect a messy two biter. The Miso Butter Cod is always a must for us and now the Botan Ebi Ikura for me. The rest are still good! I’ll probably have a new favorite everytime I visit.

We were invited to try @iseaunyc ’s $120 prix fixe for two. The first course includes a choice of two appetizers and 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶 𝗘𝗴𝗴𝘀. The second course comes with a choice of two plates (one carb and one protein), plus a dessert to share. The first course was hit after hit. We enjoyed the 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳’𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗼, 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶 𝗘𝗴𝗴𝘀, and 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, and would recommend all three. For the second course, I would probably give the Crab Fried Rice and Fried Branzino a try. That said, the 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 were definitely our favorite and should not be missed (unless, of course, chicken isn’t your thing). We ended on a nice note with the 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗲. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸!

Okay, so this was back in 2023, but another summer is coming to an end soon and thought I would push this out last minute. Whenever I need a break from the city, I head out here. This trip had a lot of food misses, but we did find some spots we liked and I rounded them up here! If you’ve been to any of these or have other recommendations, let me know 🫶 Also, if you missed my earlier posts on Hudson Valley, you can find them here: #hudsonritty 🏡Where We Stayed: @wander 𝗛𝘂𝗱𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 / 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 This stay was unreal. It had a pool, hot tub, fire pit, complimentary drinks in the fridge, mini gym, even a Tesla, and plenty of space to enjoy a weekend getaway with friends or with a special someone. 🍳For breakfast/cafe: @breadalonebakery @rosiegeneral 🍕Lunch: @ollies.pizza 🍗Dinner: @silviawoodstockny 🍦Dessert: @jollycowicecream 🌊Sights: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 / 𝗦𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 (𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗻) A view I could never get tired of! And no hiking required (unless you go down to the stream). 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲 / 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗲 Well, my husband kind of dragged me here and I’m not a fan of dark mines or caves, but the area around it is pretty nice. Also, maybe go when there’s an event happening and they’re playing music. Not pictured: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 - The little cascading streams and mossy rocks feel straight out of a Ghibli movie. The hike is mostly easy, but watch your step since the rocks are pretty wet. Hopefully, you’ll find this helpful! Thanks for reading 🫡

@makikosaka_nyc , the sister restaurant of one-starred Michelin Kosaka, is known for their generous grab hand rolls. Nori is placed adjacent to the handrolls, allowing you to grab each piece and wrap it yourself. This ensures that the nori stays crisp when eaten. We started with appetizers. A standout for me would be the Fried Chilean Sea Bass. Chilean Sea Bass is already great on its own; it’s a flaky and buttery fish. With a delicate, crispy fried exterior, it was easily a favorite for me. The other appetizers were fresh and enjoyable as well. We tried the Signature Grab Handroll Set which included: - Red Snapper with Plum - Bluefin Toro with Gobo Chip - Salmon Avocado with Yuzu Miso - Seared Botan Ebi with Caviar - Yellowtail with Jalapeño Miso If you’re looking for a casual yet elevated handroll experience, try Maki Kosaka🫶

Captured an exciting dinner event featuring Chefs @NoahSandoval from @OrioleChi , @MaxWittawat and @lifeisboringwithoutabsinth from @BangkokSupperClub and @Natwala_Lim from @ChalongNYC . It was a celebration of Thai rice, used in all kinds of ways, from the salad dressing to the crispy bites. Each course was paired with drinks by Chacha, who brought rice into every one of her creations as well! Presented by @thaitrade_usa / @eatthairice HORS D’OEUVRES 𝗡𝗮𝗺 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗼 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 / 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲 Green Curry-Infused Crispy Brown Rice Bites with Thai Herbs and Makrut Lime Leaf 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗲 / 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 Riceberry Shell with Marinated Shrimp, Golae Sauce, Fried Onion, and Makrut Lime Leaf 𝗚𝗼𝗶 / 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 Thai Beef Tartare with Rice Crackers 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗼 Thai Fermented Sticky Rice House Brew —— MAINS 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗼 𝗬𝘂𝗺 / 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 Riceberry with Colossal Crab Meat, Mung Bean Sprouts, Chili, Pomelo, Makrut Lime, Thai Herbs, and Lemongrass 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹 Whiskey with Sake, Coconut Cream, Pandan, and Rice Vinegar —— 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗸𝗲, 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗶 / 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲 Gin with Cabbage Broth, Fish Sauce, Pear Cordial, Clarified Milk, and Chili —— 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗝𝗼𝘄𝗹 / 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗮 Michter’s Rye with Artichoke Liqueur, Charred Pineapple, and Bergamot —— 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 / 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲-𝗕𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗞𝗼𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗮