Zaab Zaab Elmhurst

Zaab Zaab’s Elmhurst flagship on Woodside Avenue is a destination for a Thai meal with a clear Isan identity. The colourful dining room and assertive cooking suit companions who want to order across the table, making the restaurant a strong food anchor for a Queens afternoon or evening.

Duck larb is the clearest starting point. The house preparation combines duck with fried skin, herbs, lime and aromatic accompaniments, giving the order texture and acidity as well as heat. It is worth choosing because you want that particular dish, rather than simply selecting the most familiar item on a large Thai menu.

Whole fish and other seafood give the table another direction. Balance those larger orders with the appetite of the group, and use rice and accompaniments to build a meal around the dishes you most want. Chilli, fish sauce and dried shrimp can be important to the cooking; a dish’s appearance alone will not establish its dietary suitability.

Choose Zaab Zaab for a substantial shared dinner with regional character. This guide points to the Elmhurst restaurant, even where Zaab Zaab calls the branch Woodside Avenue. Allow the neighbourhood meal to be the main stop, with other Jackson Heights or Elmhurst snacks kept optional.