Authentic Thai Cuisine Opens in Irvington

From CommuniKate Media LLC:

Chef Navjot Arora, co-owner of Irvington’s award-winning Chutney Masala, teams up with Sushil Malhotra and Executive Chef Lucky Thai to bring yet another ethnic cuisine to the river towns with Sambal Thai + Malaysian. The eatery, housed at Chutney Masala’s old location, honors the best of authentic Thai cuisine with organic ingredients, exotic herbs, and well-balanced dishes.

“I’ve always been fascinated with Southeast Asian cuisine. It’s very vibrant, very flavorful, and my go-to option when I dine out with my family,” Arora said. “If I like something, I like to share it with my community. My partner and mentor, Sushil Malhotra, really encouraged me to go for Thai. Thai is an interesting fusion of Chinese and Indian. We’ve create these complex dishes with the fundamental Thai flavor profiles—this combination of sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and (sometimes!) spicy.”

While Arora admits Thai is “generally more accepted” than Indian food, he is focused on maintaining a delicate balance between the broad spectrum of diners in Westchester County.

“You are serving the gentleman whose never had Thai food before to the well-traveled connoisseur who eats Thai all the time,” Navjot said. “It’s a challenge to find that sweet spot. We’ve started off with authentic dishes that are much more approachable, but we will have specials and additions for the more adventurous, including introducing more Malaysian menu items. We’ve been open for 5 weeks and have already received really great feedback.”

The most approachable items on the menu are familiar and packed with flavor—Pad Thai, Green Curry, and Pineapple Fried Rice are all served in big portions for under $20. For those looking for a bit more adventure, Arora recommends the Pad Kra Prow, or Chili Basil ($15). This dish is more on the spicy side, but tends to be a crowd pleaser.

For those looking to dabble in even more Thai authenticity, Chef Lucky recommends the Chicken Rendang ($18)—simmered chicken thighs with a robust flavor thanks to exotic spices, lemongrass, lime leaves, and coconut. “I like my food big and bold,” she said.

The dinner menu is divided into three sections—starters (think Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps, Spring Rolls, and Chicken Wings), mains, and house specials. Chef Lucky created the main dishes with flexibility in mind, allowing diners to select the dish, then a protein (tofu, chicken, beef or shrimp). All dishes can be adapted to spice preference and most are gluten-free.

Lunch options include a variety of salads for $8.95 and combination platters for $12.95. Combination platters include a vegetable spring roll and the soup of the day in addition to the main entrée. Takeout and delivery are also available.

The name and cuisine aren’t the only things that changed at 4 West Main Street. Arora renovated the space to seat more guests and improve the functionality of the space. The biggest change? The outdoor deck with spectacular views of the Hudson River.

To accommodate the kitchen space needed to serve a range of such flavorful dishes, the kitchen also needed expanding, which moved the bar upstairs.

“Adding the deck was something I’ve always wanted to do,” Arora said. “We have such spectacular views. To really take advantage of this, we extended the upstairs dining room and the bar was also moved upstairs so it could serve the guests taking advantage of the outdoor space.”

For more information about Sambal Thai and Malaysian, visit here.

4 West Main Street, Irvington, NY 10533 • 914-478-2700 • SambalNY.com

Hours

Lunch: Monday - Sunday 12-3 p.m.

Dinner: Monday - Thursday 5-9:30 p.m., Friday & Saturday 5-10:30 p.m., Sunday 3-9 p.m.

Happy Hour: Monday - Friday 4:30-6 p.m. at the bar and includes drink and appetizer specials

Takeout and Delivery Available.

Images via CommuniKate Media LLC: (image 1) Chef Lucky Thai and Owner Navjot Arora, (image 2) Traditional Thai Ingredients (image 3) Interior, Upstairs