Foreign Food Found in Brooklyn...

Last night a bunch of us headed into a mysterious place in a foreign land and had an amazing adventure searching for exotic food...

I found out later the foreign land was called Brooklyn. And the mysterious place a mystical strange restaurant – called the SEA-Thai Bistro. As we entered this unusual place a loud pulsating beat was piercing our ears and thumping in our guts. We slowly headed over to what I can only refer to as the land of the podium people, three sometimes four individuals whispering to themselves hunched over a podium with wires coming out of their ears.

After talking to these podium people, they quickly scribbled something on a piece of scrap paper, folded it and secretly handed to us. They told us to wait 15 to 30 minutes and watch the small LCD screen which was located above their heads. We looked at each other confused for a moment but headed to the bar area and unfolded the piece of paper which revealed a number – 420. Hmm, 420 what could that mean? Was it some kind of code? Were they trying to tell us something? We decided to drink first and decipher the cryptic code later. After a few drinks and constantly staring at the LCD screen the number 420 suddenly came up. We looked at each other and forcibly pushed our way through the crowd that now seemed to be encircling the podium people. Once we reached them and explained that we had the same number that appeared on the LCD screen, they quickly summoned a woman who we were asked to follow. It seemed awkward and strange at first but we thought it was safe enough.

A small pond with a statue of Buddha welcomed us into the back area of the restaurant. We were seated us at a kidney-shaped table with four chairs and handed little booklets which we later found out (after opening them) were menus. I scanned the menu and discovered strange foods I have never heard of. Pad Thai? Fried rice with curry? Jade seafood dumplings? What were these things?

A man quickly appeared, gave us glasses filled with ice water and vanished. Then another man appeared, and in a strange accent asked us what we would like to eat. We rattled off a few names we recalled from scanning the menu earlier. He started to reach for something on his belt holster (at first I thought; here it comes this is where it all goes down - I thought he was grabbing for a weapon and that asking us what we would like to eat was a trick to distract us). What he pulled out looked like a Star Trek phaser but I quickly realized it was some sort of PDA unit. He whipped out a little pen-like object and electronically sent secret messages to the kitchen.

I was suspicious at first but decided to drink a little and relax a bit. But I did not feel 100% secure and did not let my guard down. But after a short time the man reappeared with food in hand. I looked at the strange plate sitting in front of me and I slowly pulled out my fork. I dug around my plate of red fried rice, tomato, onions, red pepper, spicy chicken and some other mysterious secret spices. After the first bite I was hooked. I began to inhale the food and took only a few breaks to cool down my mouth with water or beer. I asked my companions what they thought of the meal and they all stopped eating for a second and nodded, agreeing that the food was delicious.

Once we were done, the man with the accent reappeared and presented us with a bill that seemed way too low for what we ate. But we promptly paid the bill and left knowing we’d return one day to partake in another exotic adventure.

If you are ever in Brooklyn and are looking for good, reasonably-priced food check out the SEA–Thai Bistro located at 114 North Sixth Street, I totally recommend it!