Chelsea Market: Chelsea Thai, Ronnybrook Milk Bar, Amy’s Bread, Fat Witch Brownies & a Secret Sandwich Shop
May 28, 2008
If you haven’t been to Chelsea Market, on 9th Avenue between 15th & 16th street, then its questionable whether you can be called a New Yorker. The building which houses Major League Baseball.com and the Food Network is also home to some of the best and spiciest Chicken Pad Thai I’ve ever had. And if fulfilling your sweet tooth is the goal, you can choose from brownies, cupcakes, milkshakes, gelato and more all under one roof. Naturally, there’s a secret sandwich shop in here as well, so read on to find out what you need to know.
Hard to believe, I know, but I haven’t eaten at every shop in Chelsea Market. I will make several suggestions but only one strong endorsement:
Chelsea Thai Wholesale’s Chicken Pad Thai
Chelsea Thai Wholesale provides Thai food ingredients but when I go, it’s for their excellent Chicken Pad Thai. The noodles are always cooked perfectly, and while the chicken is nothing special, I enjoy the cubes of sauteed tofu which absorb the perfectly balanced sauce. I order my Pad Thai extra spicy and this used to mean additional scoops of spicy Thai peppers, but the recipe has changed and extra spicy now equates to the addition of chili paste. This new version is harder to regulate but a lot more fiery especially when the dish is fresh out of the wok. I never ate bean sprouts until I needed them to dilute the heat. I’ve eaten this dish many times at a regular heat level and it’s equally delicious if not more. Some of the best Pad Thai I’ve had in NYC.
Watching the cooks work the woks over blazing flames is always a great way to pass the time, if you know what to watch for you’ll see them effortlessly creating your dish.
Lunch/Dessert Options
Amy’s Breads
Always reliable, particularly when it comes to cupcakes and cookies. They make a Kitchen Sink Cookie with chocolate chips, nuts, and oats. The yellow cake with icing and the coconut cake are also tasty. Their flatbread pizzas and all of their breads are baked fresh on premises, visible to the public next door.
Ronnybrook Milk Bar
Chocolate & coffee milk, heavy cream, and a shot of espresso combine to create the Moocachino, a deliciously rich, creamy alternative to a frappacino. I’ve never eaten here but they offer a standard brunch weekday mornings until 11:45 AM and all day on weekends. Their lunch menu ranges from a Free Range Roast Chicken sandwich with cheddar, spicy aioli, avocado, and bacon on flauto bread to Chilled Ronnybrook Yogurt Soup with cucumber noodles, chives and fried chickpeas. Desserts range from Milkshakes to egg creams and the always classic two fresh baked cookies with a glass of milk.
Fat Witch Brownies
Fudgy and decadent while maintaining a light cakey-ness, Fat Witch Brownies won’t satisfy that primal urge for chocolate the way a Levain cookie would, but it’s still buttery and delicious. I like the classic walnut brownie.
Secret Sandwich Shop inside Bowery Kitchen Supply
How can any NYC establishment take pride in its craft if there isn’t an insider angle to make it a little better. At Chelsea Market you have to walk for your prize, all the way to the back of the market past the Manhattan Fruit Exchange, past Chelsea Thai, and then when you pass the L’Arte del Gelato stand, glory is a few steps away inside Bowery Kitchen Supply. It’s the only place where you can buy a whisk, a wok, and a Fresh Roast Turkey sandwich. The deliciousness of Chelsea Thai has prevented me from trying these sandwiches myself but I’ve heard great things and will report back on them soon.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Such great finds at Chelsea Market! I’m eyeing those cupcakes and the Fat Witch brownie :0)
May 28th, 2008 at 11:55 am
So Chelsea Thai Wholesale does cooked foods also? Is it a family sized portion? I can’t tell the size from the picture but it sure looks delicious. Ronnybrook chocolate milk is yummy!
May 28th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Hey Lawrence,
Your readers might be interested to know that Fat Witch Brownies go on sale after 4pm and they are $1.50. Quite the deal if you asked me. I agree, it might not satisfy primal urge for chocolate, but at that price point… it is super.
May 28th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Veggie Girl,
Hell yes! Have you been before?
Wonders,
You heard it right. I can’t find the menu online, however. It’s standard but really good. I didn’t, however, enjoy their drunken noodles, finding them somewhat bland. Stick with the Pad Thai and you’re in business. Sorry for lack of perspective size wise, it’s just normal size servings, no family size.
Danny,
Now that’s some serious intel. Glad to have that kind of contribution from you. We still need to do Artichoke dude!
May 28th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
You left out the Italian foods imports store! As I described in my post on Chelsea market, it’s one of my favorite places ever. Plus it has good looking sandwiches/prepared foods…
May 28th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Janine,
I haven’t been to the Italian Foods Store so I can’t speak for it. What should I get there?
May 28th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
this looks like some dope pad thai. me hungry now
May 28th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
does the fucking pad thai cost!!!???
May 28th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
nycfoodguy, i heard you don’t know how to use chopsticks!!
May 29th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Dope,
Damn right, it’s some tasty stuff.
How Much,
Around $8, I’ll double check that.
Chopstick Charlie,
Who’s spreading those nasty rumors?
May 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Last year I spent a great deal of time at Chelsea Market, hoping to catch a glimpse of an an autograph from my favorite TV network stars (esp. Sandra Lee and Emeril). As the hours and days progressed, I familiarized myself with the market and all it has to offer.
It certainly is superb. A wonderful place to while away the hours.
I particulalry enjoyed the sandwiches at the kitchenware store and the Fat Witch cupcakes. But, as some of your readers have pointed out, the Italian store/market is, IMO, the gem of Chelsea Market. Excellent salumeria with reasonable prices. Also, you did not mention the soup vendor. Don’t know if it’s still there but iwhen I was there t was chilly so I enjoyed a cup or two of liquid gold while I waited.
We’ll be back later this summer! Hope I will finally get a photo with Sandra this time!
May 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
DocChuck,
I once ran into Rachel Ray in the Market, it was the best looking I’d ever seen her. Usually she annoys me but in person, for a fleeting moment, she was hot.
I’m pretty sure there is still a soup place there, I’ll have to check it out when it gets cold again. And now after hearing about the Italian store/market from DocChuck & Janine, I’m definitely going to check it out.
Look forward to your review come late summer.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
What to get at the Italian food store…. besides everything? I’d probably steer you toward the prepared foods even though I haven’t had them before, because they look right up your alley. Otherwise, go for the cheese or the chocolate. Also Nutella is really cheap there, for what it’s worth!
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I love Bowery Kitchen Supply you can get such cheap dishes that are great for parties! I need to go back and get some mini muffin trays so I can make mini fajita cupcakes
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Ruth,
Good to know. I’m going to have to give it its due diligence. I’ve never really hung out and given it an in depth look.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I live down the street from this place. LOVE IT.
my favs are the itlaian import store, the fruit exchange and the seafood place.
i have to pinch myself sometimes it is so great, it is a food lovers dream.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I went to the sandwich place today. I had a “Fresh roastbeef sandwich” on whole wheat baguette. It was really good, and big. I had only half and even that was more than enough (for me). A sandwich + a seltzer cost me $9, which I think is pretty good considering the quality of the sandwich and the size. The bread was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside (perfect), the roastbeef thinly sliced and moist and it came with watercress, red onions and horseradish mayo. I’d have it again!
Thanks for the tip Food guy
July 24th, 2009 at 9:39 am
So I was raised a pastry snob, and the cupcakes at Amy’s Breads are one of the only ones I deem worthy in the city! My friends brought a huge box of cupcakes to a party I hosted, and no one wanted any, so I ate them ALL myself over the course of the next few days. There was a chocolate one with chocolate frosting that had a surprise chocolate ganache filling which was AMAZING, and held fairly well over 3 days, accidentally unrefrigerated. Much kudos to Amy’s for restoring my love of cupcakes in NYC.
Also, totally thought that Thai place was justa crappy takeout type place when I chanced upon it. But it really was darn good.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
[…] I finally went to Chelsea Market last Friday for the first time ever, eschewing the Y to try one of the strongest recommendations by NYC Food Guy. […]