Midtown Lunch

If you live by the old adage that variety is the spice of life, you can eat very well at Puff Cha, the newest addition to Hells Kitchen’s cluttered Thai food scene. The menu is one of the cheaper Thai menu’s that I’ve found in the area, and also strays mercifully away from the obvious pad thai’s and the like. Instead the menu gets its legs from a variety of both savory and sweet Thai puff pastries ($2.49 each or 3 for $6.79) as an eclectic lineup of noodle dishes and curries. An encyclopedia of cha (tea) as well as desserts round out the menu to make it not only an intriguing lunch spot, but also a destination for a sweet snack or high tea.
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Image provided by Puff Cha

When we got word that a new Thai eatery called Puff Cha was opening in Hells Kitchen (457 50th St between 9th & 10th Ave), we responded with an indifferent eye roll. In my opinion, there are simply way too many generic Thai restaurants in Hells Kitchen – and ever since I discovered my one and only love, I rarely mix up my routine. However, I love a scrappy specialist, and these guys are serving up a menu that’s focused on Thai puff pastries, both savory and sweet, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Aside from the puff pastries, there’s a curtailed menu of soup, noodles, and most intriguing, a lunch special that rings in at only $6.95.

We’ll definitely be checking this place out soon and bringing you a full report. In the meantime, any early adopters, please feel free to post your thoughts in the comments.

Puff Cha, 457 W. 50th St (btw. 9+10th Ave)