"O" night was certainly memorable because of the tasty Vietnamese food, but also because this was the first Zupper night it snowed! As snowflakes the size of golf balls fell upon the city, an impressive group of 12 (keep in mind this was during the holidays) were welcomed into a small, but chic and inviting dining room. There's something about the winter months that make you hungrier. Maybe it's the extra effort of walking through the wet streets, or getting dressed and undressed. Or, maybe it's just the perfect excuse for everyone to rationalize eating lots of comfort food and drinking pint after pint of Sierra Nevada. Either way, it's a wonderful time to get together and eat, and Omai was a perfect spot for the task. As New Yorkers, we have option after option of authentic, delicious ethnic food. From the Michelin starred, to the Shendy Halal cart, New York is filled with wonderous specialties from overseas. Omai is no exception. Omai represented a nice balance of the traditional, but somehow still felt like the typical NY restaurant you'd recognize anywhere. The restaurant was upscale without feeling stuffy, and the food was sophisticated without tasting complicated or fussy.
The menu is a difficult one, but only because every single item looked devour-ishly good. We started with a variety of decent spring rolls and grilled prawn rolls dipped in peanut sauce. The apps were probably more impressive and fresh than noted, but that's probably because the entrees left a more indelible mark... well, my entree at least. (You know, it's not easy remembering everyone's dish. And yes, I could start writing these in a little more timely fashion in order to better represent each Zupper's experience. And no, I'm not feeling guilty about it.) The Omai salad was anything but a salad in the traditional sense. A large steaming bowl of Vietnamese classics - filled with omai rice vermicelli noodles, salty pork, grilled shrimp and crispy spring rolls. It was perfect in that you could either combine flavors, or appreciate each ingredient as it's own clean, pure taste. I was also fortunate enough to taste Jen's dish - jumbo shrimp sauteed in a light coconut curry sauce. The first scent of the dish reminded me of those rich tasting, but somehow light Indian sauces that I love so dearly. The shrimp were perfectly cooked - the meat had a nice tender snap, far from chewy or fishy.
In-between eating, we toasted the engagement of Phil & Andrea - another one bites the dust! I wonder who will be next... Unlike "N", the night was void of drama, adventures or juicy gossip. It was just one of those great nights out, with great friends and great food. This is a definite Zupper recommend (but if you're also looking for another tasty Vietnamese place, we suggest stopping by Kampuchea on the LES. It has a different vibe; but the communal tables, street style sandwiches, noodle bowls and the Flaming Lips soundtrack make it an equally worthwhile experience.)
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