New Kid on the Block: Teakwood Thai Chophouse

July 28, 2025 Restaurant/Bar News

What a fabulous addition to the neighborhood. I can be brief and superlative about Teakwood Thai Chophouse, the new restaurant that has taken over the Viet Cafe space: delicious, gracious, reasonable, relaxed, spirited. Head on in and you will see for yourself. I went for lunch at the bar and crashed my pals’ family outing; both were a treat.

So this is the second restaurant for the husband and wife team of David and Vanida Bank, and it’s a slightly upscale riff on their current, more rustic spot in Hell’s Kitchen, Pure Thai Kitchen. It opened on July 15 and has had a crowd every time I have walked by since.

The staff is exceptional. You would think you were the first customer to ever cross the threshold. They are careful, attentive and warm.

For lunch, my pal and I sat at the bar for the yellow curry with shrimp, with crispy tofu and crab spring rolls to start. Oh, and the Thai iced coffee. Everything is just a bit complex without being overwhelming, fresh, and focused on the essentials. The presentation is simple and clean, but there are special details, like our little flower in the tiny vase at the bar.

I am going back soon for the wok beef pepper steak, and the pad sriracha chicken, which my pals had on the table when I swooped in for a moment.

Then there’s the whole chophouse side of the menu — roasted whole pompano (a white, mild and buttery fish), roasted whole Cornish game hen, pan roasted pork chop, a New York strip, all served with a side — spicy potatoes, sticky rice, turmeric curry rice, greens.

The decor is charming and well considered — clever without feeling like a theme restaurant. I think as they settle in, it will age well and get even more layered and homey.

I can’t think of a better neighborhood successor for Viet Cafe.

Teakwood Thai Chophouse
345 Greenwich | Harrison & Jay
516-693-0719 & 516-693-0720
teakwoodnyc@gmail.com
Monday to Thursday: 11:30a to 3p | 4:30 to 10p
Friday and Saturday: 11:30a to 3p | & 4:30 to 10:30p
Sun: 11:30a to 3p | 4:30 to 9:30p

 
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5 Comments

  1. H
    July 30, 2025 • 9:33 pm

    Went last week, food was pretty decent. But man the place was loud! Please add some sound attenuation!

    Reply
  2. tribeca diner
    July 31, 2025 • 12:49 am

    This is the oddest comment. You want quiet dining? Eat at home. You want quiet dining? Go to a Chili’s in the suburbs. You want quiet dining? Don’t complain about it on TC. Restaurants in this neighborhood struggle because of people exactly like you. You don’t want excitement and energy but somehow want this neighborhood to thrive and exist. SO so so discouraging to see this comment.

    Reply
    • K
      July 31, 2025 • 7:54 am

      There is nothing odd about the first comment. Maybe you find noise at dinner exciting and energizing but many people don’t and your snarky response is ridiculous. While the food looks amazing to me, I personally would only have lunch or takeout from this restaurant because of the photo of the banquette with all of the tables so close to each other. Blaming struggling restaurants on people who want a different dining experience than you doesn’t make sense.

      Reply
  3. PS
    July 31, 2025 • 4:03 pm

    Dear tribeca diner, I couldn’t agree more with K when he/she referred to your response as “snarky.” Someone from the neighborhood took the time to support one of our new restaurants and afterwards offered a well-intended personal comment regarding how loud it was within the space and all you can do is respond to this person with stupid/immature comments focused on your aggressive statement of “You want quiet dining?” and then blaming “people like him/her” as the reason why restaurants in this neighborhood struggle. Which is obviously not the reason why restaurants in this neighborhood struggle and often fail. Have you heard of any of the following: high rent, increased operating costs, changing dining preferences, the impact of working remote, competitive environment, or adherence to time-consuming and expensive city regulations? I was going to conclude by asking you how you knew this person doesn’t want excitement and energy but somehow wants the neighborhood to survive and exist? Do you know them personally? (BTW, survive and exist are redundant they way they’re used.) However I’ll conclude by simply asking if you have personally supported this restaurant since they opened?

    Reply

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