|  FOODIE
Taste The Far East At Bonbori
By
Luann Dallojacono / foodie@longislandernews.com
In search of food from the Far East, the Foodies ventured
not too far from our doorstep and found ourselves at Bonbori
in Huntington village, a gem hiding on Elm Street.
Offering authentic Japanese and Thai cuisine, Bonbori is where
sweet and spicy collide in the kitchen and parade on your
palate. You’ll find traditional starters, soups and
salads, as well as a wide array of meat, chicken, duck and
seafood courses. Another huge draw is the extensive sushi
bar with ample, comfortable seating.
White lights and candlelit stairs adorn the entrance, setting
the peaceful mood for our meal. Vibrant stained glass, colorful
throw pillows on the seats and rice paper light boxes on the
walls create a modern but relaxed atmosphere. Owner Chanvit
Kanthong, who took over the restaurant six months ago, makes
sure the food keeps with the same attention to detail.
We started with a tasty sampling of appetizers including a
delicious Thai curry puff, a flaky pastry stuffed with a blended
filling of minced chicken, onion, potato and tangy curry powder
($7). Bonbori rises to the challenge of providing fried appetizers
that are light and crispy, not oily and greasy, exemplified
by the Koong Tod, shrimp wrapped in a fried spring roll sheet
($10), and the classic fried vegetable spring rolls ($6).
A summer shrimp roll wrapped in rice paper ($8) cleansed our
palate with hints of mint and lemon in preparation for our
next course – the ever-anticipated sushi.
Bonbori sushi gets high marks for presentation and taste.
The orange dragon roll with spicy tuna and salmon with tempura
flakes inside and out ($13) was excellent, as was the Godzilla
roll with tuna, yellowtail, and scallion topped with avocado,
tuna, salmon roe and a spicy mayonnaise sauce ($13). Fresh
and plentiful (the rolls were cut into eight sizable pieces),
the sushi was firm enough that it didn’t fall apart
when grabbed by chopsticks, but soft enough that the tongue
can easily break it apart.
The tasty and slightly smoky drunken noodles ($12), soft flat
rice noodles sautéed in a spicy basil sauce with crunchy,
but well-cooked bell peppers, onions and carrots, was excellent.
Just as savory was our chicken massaman curry ($16) –
thin, tender slices of chicken swaddled in a sweet coconut
milk curry, soup-like, with peanuts, potatoes and carrots.
Each bite is infused with all the herbs and spices as heat
slowly builds in the back of your throat that you don’t
notice until halfway through the meal.
A warm and light pumpkin custard ($5) was the perfect end
to our meal, with the consistency of a rice pudding and slight
hint of the seasonal pumpkin.
Three sectioned rooms downstairs with varied degrees of lighting
provide private corners for a quiet setting if desired, Larger
parties can request the Thai Room upstairs, and for a unique
dining experience, request a table in the Japanese Room where
you can dine Japanese-style with low tables and bench seats
above an open floor.
Couple all of this with its friendly, helpful and attentive
staff, and Bonbori has made a wining recipe. And don’t
worry if you’re a chopsticks novice. They have rubber
chopstick helpers, and forks too.
Bonbori
14 Elm Street
Huntington Village
631-673-0400
Cuisine: Japanese and Thai
Perks: Roomy sushi bar, take-out, delivery,
lunch specials Noon-3 p.m.
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. Noon-3 p.m., 5-10 p.m.;
Fri.-Sat.
Noon-3 p.m., 5-10:30 p.m.; Sun. Noon-3 p.m., 5-9:30 p.m.
Main Menu
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