Editor Pick
Lovely Day
- May 4, 2005
- Rated 5 of 5 by
quirine from Brooklyn, New York
A little Thai restaurant lies inconspicuously on Elizabeth Street between a video store and a chic restaurant. This hole-in-the-wall is a delightful departure from the neighborhood's overcrowded and famous Lombardi's Pizzeria that offers an unforgettable meal.
On a warm evening, you'll find hipsters drinking their happy-hour beers on the stoop and listening to their boom box. Inside can get a bit stuffy (it IS a small place), but the cute little booths and great menu make up for it. The drink menu includes Tsing Tao beer for a reasonable $4.50, and others such as Stella and Corona for $5. Other drinks include fruity champagne concoctions ($8) and fresh-squeezed lemonade with a squirt of black current (SOUR!).
Appetizers are recognizable (edamame, dumplings, summer rolls, etc.), and the main dishes have are of a wide range. You can get your standard pad Thai, green curry, red curry, and other noodle dishes with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu ($8.50). The spicy dishes are VERY spicy, so stick to a dish you know if you're afraid of burning your mouth off! Luckily, table service includes a carafe of water. Aside from the common Thai dishes, Lovely Day also has a seared tuna dish ($12.50) and a great salmon dish ($9.50). The salmon came cooked crispy and flaky (not fishy). Below the salmon was a pile of mesclun salad with apples and cucumber. Below that was a nice helping of mashed sweet potatoes surrounded by a creamy orange sauce that tied the whole dish together. For dessert, try the fried bananas with ice cream or the flourless chocolate cake.
The service here is great. Everyone was exceptionally nice and no one rushed us out. I have heard they take reservations, so you might want to make them to be safe. It can get busy on a weekend night. Be warned that they only take American Express. I'm always a bit weary to try non-traditional Asian restaurants, but this one really blew me away!
From journal Manhattan: What You Can't Find in a Guidebook!