Unexpected ancient dishes become modern Thai masterpieces at Kru 

By Scott Lynch

It all started with a century-old memorial book.

Chef Ohm Suansilphong grew up in north-central Thai province of Sukhothai where it was once a tradition among royals and other well-heeled types to publish tomes to honor their loved ones when they died — filling the pages with lore, memories and, most relevant to our discussion here, secret family recipes.

When Suansilphong first came across these artifacts years ago, he was astonished to see so many non-traditional ingredients — grapes, anchovies, ham — being used to create these unmistakably Thai dishes. It led him to question the notion of “authenticity,” and sparked a long period of research and development to see if he could bring these recipes to life for contemporary diners.

“I accidentally found out about all this in a used book store, and it inspired me a lot,” Suansilphong tells Brooklyn Magazine. “These people didn’t say that Thai food has to be like this or like that. They were very open minded. There were no rules.”

And so, after working in kitchens in Bangkok, Sydney and New York City (notably, he co-founded Fish Cheeks in NoHo and Chicks Isan in Downtown Brooklyn) Suansilphong and his wife and business partner Kiki Supap opened Kru, a cool-looking spot housed in an industrial space in Williamsburg.

The word “kru” means guru, or mentor, in Thai, and Suansilphong chose it to honor all of his teachers, both in kitchens throughout his career and in all of those old memorial books that inspired this part of his journey.

The Kru team has been feeding people for just over a year now here on North 14th Street. There’s been plenty of acclaim — most recently, the place got granted Michelin Bib Gourmand status by the influential French tire company — but it still feels a bit under-the-radar. Getting same-day reservations is usually not a problem.

Part of that had to do with Suansilphong’s unconventional (for a Thai restaurant) menu. The staff tells me that sometimes people wander in, sit down and when they don’t see anything familiar on the menu — “you don’t have Pad Thai??” — get up and leave.

To be sure, Kru is not for timid palates. The super tender beef tongue swimming in a bowl of Suansilphong’s jungle curry is delicious, one of the best things I’ve had all year, but it’s also crazy spicy, even when spooned over white rice. Maybe get a Thai rice omelette on the side to tamp down the heat as you make your way through this dish.

Beef tongue curry, $27, with a side a Thai rice omelette, $10  (Scott Lynch)

The other entree we tried was just as good and not quite as fiery: an excellent whole branzino, which Suansilphong debones, mixes with curried rice and a bit of coconut and lemongrass, then stuffs it all back under the skin. Dump on the tangy cucumber salad that comes with it to crank things up even further.

Whole stuffed deboned branzino, $38 (Scott Lynch)

All tables of two or more should order at least one of Kru’s “relishes,” which is basically a bowl of dip nestled amid a bouquet of fresh vegetables. The zingy, creamy crabmeat relish was excellent, as was the funky fermented fish one, which spreads like a paste. Perfect for nibbling and refreshing your taste buds, these dishes can be enjoyed throughout the entire meal.

Crabmeat relish, $24 (Scott Lynch)

Kru’s starters will make you happy too. The “savory fruit bite” sounds weird — a chewy, caramelized blob of chicken and pork is paired with fresh fruit — but the result is a marvelous mix of attention-getting flavors and textures.

‘Ma Hor,’ or savory fruit bites, $5 per person (Scott Lynch)

The steak tartare is awesome. Just don’t expect it in a typical French bistro fashion; Suansilphong mixes his meat with cured egg, fish sauce, bird’s eye chili, rice field bugs and strips of crackling deep fried tripe. The crudo-like squid salad is pretty straightforward, but you need to be game to eat a ton of garlic to fully appreciate it.

Steak tartare with fried tripe, $18 (Scott Lynch)

After all those strong flavors, a bowl of fermented rice ice cream, served over poached peach and drizzled with raspberry syrup, offers a soothing ending to the feast.

Cocktails, which often feature Thai flavorings like chili-spiced coconut syrup, will set you back $17. There are about 10 different beers on offer, and most of the bottles of wine hover in the $70 range. Kru looks sharp too, finished with vintage-looking botanical drawings, pages from a memorial book compilation (peep the recipe for “American fried chicken”), and kitchen ephemera.

(Photo by Scott Lynch)

Kru is located at 190 North 14th Street, between Wythe and Berry, and is currently open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 5:30 to 9 p.m., and on Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m.