Queens Restaurant is destined to hit palettes like a tsunami

The entrance to Wave Thai in Astoria, Queens

The bar area at Wave Thai

The concentric circles motif continues with the choice of wall art

The tables at Wave Thai

Another view of the bar

Even the bathroom entrance is striking

Located in Astoria, on 31st Street, just north of Ditmars Boulevard (that no-man's land north of the N/W subway line terminus), Wave Thai holds its own in a neighborhood known more for its Greek mezze and moussaka than its sambals and sates. Wave's severe glass and concrete façade might even appear the slightest bit self-conscious. Less "pagoda-esque splendor" and more "enigmatic establishment provocateur." But the entrance's collusion of industrial and allegorical—Buddha by Kandinsky, if you will—best sets the stage for what's to follow.

And pretense passes quickly, like a ripple, in fact, as one looks beyond the glass into Wave's inviting dining room (designed by interior decorator Thida Tongthai). Striped turmeric- and red chili-colored walls offset elegant black tables topped with wavy platters and spare curvy silverware. There are circles everywhere, most noticeably over the small wine bar—a gilded reiteration of the façade's concentric rings. The wave conceit: suggesting energy that propagates, gently, inexorably, omni-directionally, is central to the restaurant's mystique. And it abides. Catch a whiff of the restaurant's magic, and you'll have caught the wave.

The menu, like Wave itself, is simple, elegant and direct: White, spare, and perfectly informative, it disdains such adjectives as "exotic" or "grilled to perfection." Ingredients follow each dish in one- or two-word bullet-point fashion. Yet such austerity reassures: As if to say, "You know what you like, so this is all you need to know." And it's true.

But no décor, however styled, and no menu, however well designed, can offset a mediocre meal. Thankfully, Wave doesn't capsize anything in this department either. Eschewing fusion dishes and wildly exotic fare, Wave concentrates on making traditional Thai dishes simply exceptional.

Highlights include their curry puff appetizers—small samosa-like morsels, only with a more delicate shell, like French choux, encasing a tender center of potato, chicken and spices. Sublime on their own, these puffs rise to an astounding level when finished with a sweet crisp bite of freshly prepared, and not overly cloying, cucumber salad. (The owners of Wave Thai admit most of their dishes are made from scratch; the owners even buy their produce themselves daily.)

Another winner: Wave's dumpling assortment. Whether filled with meat, or vegetarian, these tiny pockets burst in your mouth with flavor—especially when accentuated with a tangy dipping sauce. Likewise, their fish cakes, a humble scattering of terra cotta coins, could win over the most ardent "piscophobe."

The appetizers seem on the smallish side. But Wave's owner, Panida Surat Somba, knows what she is doing—whetting her patron's whistles for the great food to follow. And the entrees do deliver.

Wave's head chef, Kysakhone Boungarith, manages a wok and grill the way we mere mortals manage walking and talking. He appears gifted with an almost super-human power to preserve meat's juicy tenderness no matter how it's prepared.

Perfect example, Wave's Peanut Princess, a fried chicken dish with peanut sauce and broccoli. Too often does a white meat chicken dish like this come to the table dry and tough. Here, the whitest breast meat runs lightly with delectable juices, so flavorful and moist the peanut sauce became an indulgence rather than a necessity.

The same is true of Wave's other meat dishes. Especially their Roast Pork with Mango Salad. I have it on good authority the pork is only seasoned with salt and pepper; seemingly impossible considering how rich and tender the pork tastes, as if it were marinated for days in some sublime broth. So let the Wave staff lie (though certainly they don't), as long as dishes like this continue to grace their menu.

There's not much to say about Wave's curries, except you must try them—all of them. And when you've tried them, try them all again. They're all flavorful, rich and delicious. From the tenderfoot mild massaman to their fiery classic green to their unusual coconut-milk free alternative, all will please the palette; any curry can be made with the meat of your choice, or no meat at all (chicken is ideal for those on a budget, but I'll take their decadent—and bone free—duck whenever I can). Wave's peanut curry is a highlight, the red gravy so full and nutty, you'll have to resist drinking it like a savory spiced chai.

Don't forget the noodle dishes, either. Wave's Pad Thai is superlative, and their most ordered noodle dish. But permit yourself to go wild; try the Tom Yum Dry. With its tart essence, hearty mushrooms and fruity tomatoes, you'll consider asking for seconds.

Only save some space. Wave's desserts, cold, warm, light and unusual, round a meal better than Buddha's belly. Fried bananas may sound prosaic, until you sample this offering's light philo shell and delicate, almost invisible honey syrup. The dish typically comes without ice cream, but don't settle. Have it served à la mode, and make that mode coconut. It's a taste of the tropics, times two. Also, ask for two spoons: when served with ice cream, the dish is deceptively large. And when you're done, go back to indulge in Wave's other desserts: mango and sticky rice, fried ice cream, and a delectable assortment of frozen confections.

There's simply too much more to say about Wave Thai, so let the restaurant do some of the talking. Wave's host will gladly suggest wines that go best with each dish (surprisingly, a sweet/light Riesling cuts curry's spiciness better than rice), and don't forget to ask your waiter about Wave's daily specials. There are more than a few, and they're all fantastic.

But most importantly, ask yourself this: Why haven't you eaten at Wave Thai yet? If you live in New York City, or goodness, Astoria, Queens, there's just no excuse. If you're gonna catch a Wave, you must let it be this one.

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