The buzz around Kam Rai Thai is reaching a fever pitch. Chef Dhanapol Marprasert just walked away with the trophy for Best in Show at Pig Island NYC, an annual cookoff held in Staten Island.

You read that right. An Astorian Thai restaurant just picked up the top prize at a barbeque competition in Staten Island. Run by Friends of Firefighters, this cookoff is held by people who take their barbeque very seriously.

Dozens of chefs gathered at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden to put their best hog forward. Marprasert spoke about his win with pride, “Yesterday we were in Pig Island. We went the whole day, in the heat and the cold, but we were winners.”

Marprasert’s pork jowl won over the judges and the crowd, “We made a special with pork and two sides. Handmade, every part. And we bring that to New York. That’s what got us the champagne. A winner: pork jowl.” This marks his second win in just two years of competition. He also won the Rapid Fire Steak Off in 2023.

In addition to their delicious pork, Kam Rai Thai boasts other tasty mains and sides for you to sink your teeth into. If you’re vegetarian, a must-try is the spicy curry. If you’re unsure about your curry options, ask for the pineapple curry crispy duck, a sure-fire hit. Feeling ambitious? Order the pla duk yang, grilled whole catfish served with jaew sauce. And for dessert, grab an ice cream boran, which is made from coconut nut milk. More like a creamsicle than traditional ice cream, it’s flavorful, light, and delicious.

For happy hour, enjoy Kam Rai Thai’s five-dollar beer and six-dollar wine selections with featured starters that tend to rotate in and out, depending on what the chef wants to do. He explained, “For next month we’re going to do a homemade pork bun for one dollar. We hand make the meat ball. It’s Thai style to do one with a drink.”

As far as that drink goes; to get the most out of your experience at Kam Rai, you should take the chef’s advice. “Our restaurant, we do a Thai contemporary cuisine concept. So the popular thing is a passion fruit mojito. We call it the Chiangmai mojito because passionfruit is the economic center of the city. It’s spicy, mixed with mescal and served with pom.

Also take advantage of lunch specials and brunch offerings. Grab a lavish Thai lunch that’s sure to fill you up on weekdays from 11am to 3pm. “We have a lunch special, $12.95, that comes with soup, salad, and a spring roll. And for brunch Saturday and Sunday, we do a $25 pork roll and bottomless beer for 90 minutes.”

Kam Rai is also a great space for parties. “We have a backyard in the summer. We are open to events, birthday parties, marriages, and baby showers. It’s a very big space. If someone wants a private party, contact us. Up to 50 people.”

Marprasert believes Queens is the perfect fit for his vision, “It’s different from anywhere else. It’s open, and there’s so many people showing their culture. And that’s why we all come to Astoria. And when we think about Astoria, we think about food. “

43-11 28^th Ave. / Phone: 929.522.0999 / kamraithai.net / Yelp