The Menu Located: The Mango Tree
The Mango Tree has been open on Staten Island since September. It is a great addition of ethic Thai food that also offers Japanese/Sushi Cuisine. Currently with only two other establishments offering Thai Cuisine, we welcome this restaurant greatly with open hands.
The Walk-Around: Upon entrance there are a few seats to the right, Where you can sit down to wait for some take out. To the right there is a buetifal Sushi Bar, which can make an excellent Lunch Time Stop By. The best part of the Restaurant is of course the dining room which features an authentic look/feel of Bricks, Romantic dim atmosphere and enough room between tables to breath. Tables have a great well thought set-up to allow for a “Crowded Free Experience” and are not set up on top of each other.
Good For: (This is not a Restaurant Review, only a Grand Opening Description): This restaurant seems to be good for Lunch & Dinner, Lunch being nice and simple stop by either sitting at Sushi bar or in the Dining Room. Dinner being more on the Romantic side with dim lights and candles at tables. This place also offers Delivery of both Cuisines (Thai & Japanese).
Hello,
The Mango Tree, Staten Island’s first Thai restaurant, is one of the best kept secrets on the Island, but not for long. Mango offers an ambitious menu and congenial service. The décor is understated—a few tables tucked away in alcove next to the take out counter and is conversation friendly. Mango also eschews music—always a good sign.. Kudos to the owner who wants to make his name with cuisine.
The lunch special, served daily noon till 4 pm, is a feast for the palate, offering three choices–chicken, vegetable and tofu, reasonably priced at $6.95; a beef entrée that goes for $7.50 and the third a choice of shrimp or squid for $7.95. All entrees are served with fresh salad and a spring roll. What makes these dishes so delectable is the preparation. Diners have a choice of chili basil, cashew nut, ginger, garlic, green curry, red curry and several others. The chicken was tender with just the right touch of ginger to bring out the flavor. The veggies were served al dente and the tofu silky smooth. All told, a pleasurable repast. Word has it that the sushi is first rate. Sushi is a culinary challenge to prepare and definitely an acquired taste–looks like the owner has lofty goals. Have to set a date for a return visit.
File this one under “currying flavor.” Stopped by The Mango Tree Friday for a late lunch—the dining room was filled to near capacity. Mr Harianto—Mango’s owner—urged me to try the red curry. Feeling adventurous, I decided to give it a go and ordered the chicken with red curry. Bingo, its a hit and an obvious favorite with other diners who were enjoying the same dish. Mango’s curry isn’t quite hot but by no means mild that gives the chicken a zesty kick.
Since Thai is still brand new to the Island, clearly its an education for the palette. Its Asian but doesn’t seem to fit Chinese and Japanese fare. Thai is almost an hybrid, combing the spices of Indian cooking—ginger and curry are prime examples–with beef, chicken and seafood—found on most Chinese and Japanese menus. Compared with the vast majority of chain restaurants, pizzerias and burger joints, Mango’s fare is a radical departure from all but a few establishments. If Friday was any indication of things to come, The Mango Tree seems to be poised to take off as the new in spot on the Island. With two lunches tucked away, next trip is for dinner. Can’t wait to try the sushi.
Soft shell crab is a staple in a variety of cuisines, finding its way onto menus like Japanese, standard American seafood and even ambitious Mexican establishments. It can be prepared in several manners–breaded, marinated and broiled rank among top choices. But there is a catch. Soft shell crab is only in season for an all too brief period—around April to June–and the best comes from Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. Preparation is tricky, it must be marinated and painstakingly cooked so the diner can it cut with a fork.
Add one more fave rave to The Mango Tree menu—soft shell crab served with a special seafood curry served off the menu. Served with a side dish of steamed rice, Mango’s crab rivals the same found on any other menu. The crab was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth. The key ingredient is the curry, neither green nor red but a special sweet and sour broth that looks like lobster bisque. Taste though is another matter. This particular curry is equal parts sweet, sour and pungent Red peppers play a main role making the broth and entrée hot but not overpowering. The remainder is something of mystery. The sweetness could be attributed to any number of spices; same can be said for the sour aspect. Of course the crab is served fresh, right off the boat and broth prepared fresh daily. Mango’s soft shell crab with curry isn’t on the menu but worth every mouthful.