A new chef at Wondee's Thai restaurant, other Hackensack changes

A new Asian Indian restaurant has opened on Main Street, near Mercer Street, in Hackensack, above, and a Mexican restaurant has taken over the space on Sussex Street, near Main, once occupied by John's Coffee Shop, below. Still, for dinner tonight we returned to Wondee's, one of our all-time favorites, and learned the Thai restaurant has a new owner and a new chef. The food is as good as ever.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

A new owner and chef at Wondee's in Hackensack are behind recent changes in the decor, but tonight we were happy to learn the Thai food is as good as always.

On our last visit in early May -- when we were thrilled to see the old, tattered carpet covering the floor finally had been replaced -- no one told us about the change in ownership and in the kitchen.

Chef Wandee Suwangbutra and husband Tom sold the Main Street restaurant they opened in 1997, and moved their family to South Carolina, a server said.

The new chef is Air-Arisa Cabrera Katengamkam, 28, who learned to cook from working at Wandee's side in the kitchen.

Still best in Bergen

She learned well, because the Green Papaya Salad, Ocean of Garlic and the other dishes we ordered tonight were as good as they've ever been.

And that will allow Wondee's to hold onto the unofficial title of best Thai restaurant in Bergen County.

The new floor and wallpaper at Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, above and below.

Som Thum, a fresh green papaya salad, has always been my favorite Thai dish ($8). The crunchy green fruit, string beans, tomatoes and peanuts swim in a spicy dressing of lemon juice, chili and ground dried shrimp.

An appetizer of Tofu Tod is fried tofu served with a sweet chili sauce and ground peanuts ($7).

Ocean of Garlic, one of Chef Wandee's specialties, is as special as ever, combining deep fried seafood, minced fresh garlic and black pepper (shrimp, mussels, bay scallops and squid) with a crunchy pickled salad ($18 with a small bowl of white rice).

Geuw Nam, wonton soup with pork and fresh cilantro ($3.50 for small, $9 for large).

Wondee's is a BYO.

Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, 296 Main St., Hackensack; 201-883-1700.

Open for lunch and dinner; closed Mondays. Takeout, but no delivery. BYO, parking in rear off of Camden Street. American Express cards not accepted. 

In an informal taste test, Wondee's Thai food beats Bangkok Garden

Compare Som Thum, a fresh green papaya salad, at Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles on Main Street in Hackensack, above, and a takeout version from rival Bangkok Garden Thai Restaurant on the next block, below.

The strands of papaya are thinner in the Bangkok Garden salad, and the taste doesn't match that of Wondee's salad.

Wondee's Thom Yum Koong, a spicy soup, above, has more shrimp and mushrooms than Bangkok Garden's takeout version, and the broth tastes cleaner. 

Bangkok Garden says it was the first Thai restaurant in Bergen County when it opened 25 years ago in January. Today, the dining room, compared to Wondee's, is beautifully decorated and in beautiful shape, above. The restaurant also has a full bar. 

Wondee's is a BYO that opened in 1997, and its dining room is much smaller than Bangkok Garden's, and in poor shape, with torn carpet and an uneven floor raised above pipes. This summer, fresh paint on the walls and ceiling helped a little, but the restaurant is in desperate need of a complete makeover.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The waitress at Bangkok Garden Thai Restaurant asked me to sit at an empty table while I was waiting for my takeout order on Saturday afternoon.

I looked at the polished wood floor, the tablecloths and the elaborate Thai decorations, and then thought of the shabby interior of Wondee's on the next block, where I've enjoyed wonderful Thai meals for more than a dozen years.

But when I got the two dishes home and tasted them, I knew why I was the kind of customer who doesn't judge a restaurant by its decor.

Bangkok Garden's green papaya salad seemed to have all of the right ingredients, but the portion was smaller and the taste was off.

The broth of the shrimp-and-mushroom soup, made with lemon juice and chili paste, also tasted odd, as if it had been sweetened. 

The soup also didn't have as much shrimp or mushrooms as Wondee's version, which I order every time I eat there.

Bangkok Garden's prices also are higher than Wondee's.

Like I said, you can't eat the wallpaper.


Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, 296 Main St., Hackensack; 1-201-883-1700. BYO, rear parking lot. Closed Mondays.

Bangkok Garden Thai Restaurant, 261 Main St., Hackensack; 1-201-487-2620. Full bar, rear parking in metered lot. Open 7 days.

Garlic lovers are flocking to Wondee's in Hackensack

Ocean of Garlic is an apt description for this wonderful seafood entree at Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles in Hackensack, above and below.

Minced fresh garlic and black pepper clinging to shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels. I didn't eat the rice that came with the dish, but still took home leftovers.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

In more than 15 years of loyalty to the wonderful Thai food at Wondee's in Hackensack, I got into a rut.

I always ordered Thome Yum Koong, a spicy soup with lemon, shrimp and mushrooms, and Som Thum, the refreshingly fresh green-papaya salad.

They were followed by Pla Ma Now, a steamed whole fish with chili pepper, garlic and lemon juice, served on a fish-shaped, heated metal dish.

Branching out

Now, I'm exploring the extensive menu and, on Saturday night, I hit the garlic lover's jackpot:

Ocean of Garlic, a delightful platter of fried seafood, with a salad of pickled cabbage and carrots on the side, and a small bowl of white rice ($18). 

The shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels were beautifully fried and grease-free; piled on top of romaine lettuce leaves and garnished with cilantro. 

Our server said Chef Wandee Suwangbutra uses minced fresh garlic for the dish.

I've noticed this dish before, but never ordered it, because other family members don't eat squid, scallops or mussels.

An appetizer of Satay BBQ ($6). Four skewers of chicken or pork are served with a peanut sauce and a cucumber salad in a sweet dressing.

I never tire of Som Thum, a salad of crunchy fresh green papaya dressed in lemon juice, chili, peanuts, green beans, tomato and ground dried shrimp ($8) -- a dish that is savory, sweet and spicy. The salad also can be eaten wrapped in romaine lettuce leaves lining the plate.

Thome Yum Seafood adds squid, mussels and scallops to the shrimp-only soup I once ordered on every visit. A small bowl is $4 and a large bowl is $12.

Meat eaters in the family are loyal to Geuw Nam, a wonton soup with lots of roast pork ($3.50 and $9).

Thai Fried Rice includes shrimp, pork, egg, onion and sweet pepper ($10.50).

Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, 296 Main St., Hackensack; 201-883-1700. BYO, metered street parking until 6 p.m., except Sundays, and rear parking lot off of Camden Street. Closed Mondays.

A corner of the L-shaped dining room. Go for the food, not the dated decor. Cloth napkins are put out after 5 p.m.