Thai Ramen & Bubble Tea opens in East Rockaway

Behold a pretty bowl of khao soi, the Thai coconut-curry soup that can warm your entire body, with a handful of fried noodles on top that make for a satisfying crunch.

Is it ramen? That’s up for debate, as the noodles are made from rice, but it’s one of the rich dishes at Thai Ramen & Bubble Tea in East Rockaway, which has opened across from the East Rockaway Long Island Rail Road station, where the sign for Exhibit Thai used to hang. 

The space is super cute, with four tables, turquoise walls and folksy details.

The food is fresh,  from flower-shaped chicken dumplings punctuated by ginger, to crab rangoon and dainty chicken spring rolls. The assortment of Thai-style “ramen” includes tom kha and tom yum soups, as well as yen ta fo, a red, spicier soup cousin of chicken broth filled with egg noodles and topped with shrimp. Curries run the gamut from brown (tun tun), green and orange-gold (massaman) to red and yellow, all served with jasmine rice. Among the stir-fried noodles are pad thai, pad se ew (similar, though with flat noodles) and “drunken udon.” Notable among the choice of proteins is duck, as well as vegan proteins such as barbecued tofu and mock meats.

The draw for many teenagers here seems to be fruity or milky bubble tea in flavors such as mango, passion fruit, brown-sugar or chai. Coconut milk is on hand for dairy-free drinkers.

Most of the teas cost between $4 and $4.75, while appetizers begin at $5, noodle soups  between $11 and $13, and curries and noodles, from $12 to $13.

Thai Ramen & Bubble Tea is open Thursday to Sunday from late lunch through dinner at 10 Davison Plaza, East Rockaway. thairamenandbubbletea.com