Workers remove Somtum Der's curbside dining structure

From the EVG tipline... workers from a private hauler were out early this morning removing Somtum Der's curbside dining structure outside 85 Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. 

The streetery didn't appear to be in use any longer. Plus, as of June, this lane south of Sixth Street is a No Standing zone, and parking is not allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week. 

The signs arrived ahead of the new Bus Only lane on the southbound section of Avenue A.

The nearby Takahachi removed its curbside structure back in August. 

Updated:

Soft opening action: Somtum Der on Avenue A; Han Dynasty on 3rd Avenue

As we reported on Aug. 1, the Bangkok-based Somtum Der is opening its first U.S. restaurant at 85 Avenue A, home of the former Lantern Thai Kitchen. Somtum Der is currently in soft opening mode...



Fork in the Road had a preview last week:

Thanaruek "Eh" Laoraowirodge has been feeding the people of Bangkok somtum der, a version of green papaya salad that's native to his hometown of Khon Kaen in the northeastern Isan region of Thailand. "Thai people like to eat this kind of food," he explains. "We focused on the authenticity of papaya salad. Most papaya salad in Bangkok adjusted to the Bangkok palate."

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[Last week]

Meanwhile, over on Third Avenue at East 12th Street, Han Dynasty is also in soft-open mode... this is the first New York outpost from Han Chiang, the Sichuan master with six restaurants in Philadelphia. A few details on the space via Zagat:

[U]nlike some other hot Asian spots (hello, Mission Chinese) the venue skips a purposely hip decor in favor of a no-frills room.

And!

And about those dishes: the more, the merrier. The menu is affordable, and after we asked for the check, we pulled a "actually, can we see a menu again," and ordered a second round of appetizers and entrees.

Lantern Thai Kitchen closes on Avenue A; Bangkok-based Somtum Der coming soon

Lantern Thai Kitchen has closed at 85 Avenue A... and a sign for its replacement is up (you could actually read it if this photo wasn't blurry). The Bangkok-based Somtum Der will be opening here soon...



The eatery is the first in the United States for Thanaruek Laoraowirodge, who is growing a mini-empire of restaurants in Bangkok.

Here's a quote from him in BK (Bangkok) magazine:

"People in New York already have a good perception of Thai food. They are not just familiar with tom yam, but regional dishes too."

Here's a 3-star (out of 5) review of Somtum Der via BK:

Together with Chef Kornthanut Thongnum, Khon Kaen-native Thanaruek Laoraowirodge has brought his Isaan roots to the capital in the shape of this somtam-focused restaurant whose objective is to steer our taste buds back towards Northern Isaan, and away from the sweeter flavors that Bangkokians so cherish.

And!

Of the score of somtam varieties available, standouts include the tam sua Sakon Nakhon (B65), which comes with freshwater crab and kratin beans, and the tam pla tu khao man (B85), which comes with mackerel and is served with a comforting side of rice cooked in coconut milk. In very different ways, they’re both exemplary of what Thai food does best: balancing a range of flavors and textures. Of course, there’s also a long list of usual suspects, from laabs to tom saep, all equally well executed. We’re less impressed with the deep-fried or grilled meats.

Lantern Thai Kitchen opened in January 2012, replacing Cafetasia, which sported the 100-ounce beer tube.

The Lantern remains open on Second Avenue at 18th Street.