By Sharon Li, staff writer
Sugar Club is a contemporary Thailand based nook that offers trendy Thai desserts, drinks, imported groceries, breakfast, along with dozens of locally made Thai specialties.
If it wasn’t for Instagram, I would’ve never known about this place. The craftiness of the food intrigued me and the way they served desserts on a picturesque wooden board instead of plates. So me being a food-addict, I couldn’t help but go here.
With a few clicks, I was on their website drooling. It was confusing considering this wasn’t your typical dessert spot. It was more of a sit down cafe within a bodega.
Inside, it was even more complicated than it was online. However, it had an overall calm, chill, and crowded atmosphere with chatter and people at work typing. I ordered at the counter where the staff patiently waited for us. The anticipation was killing me while I was waiting for the food, but it didn’t take more than 6 minutes.
While the Volcano Roti didn’t meet my expectations for artfulness, it was nothing compared to its sapidity. It was unexplainably good for something that contains 3 ingredients for $5.00. Cocoa powder, brown sugar mixture, and condensed milk topped the volcano roti. Although it was definitely on the sweeter side, I felt like I was being transported straight to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.
A popular choice, the Romeo toast is on the pricier side at $12, but it was worth it. It is a warm toast with bananas, chocolate ice cream, kitkat, whipped cream, brownie brittle, chocolate & condensed milk drizzle, and a side of frosted flakes with sliced kiwi and strawberry. It was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth without being overly sweet and heavy. It was also hands down one of the best french toasts I’ve had. The warmness of the toast and the coldness of the ice cream made the perfect combination. It was love at first bite. I was speechless on how phenomenal the Romeo Toast was.
For a dessert that was $6.00, I was flabbergasted at the Juliet Waffle, with all the carefully crafted ingredients. Usually I prefer pancakes, but imagine how astonishing the waffle had to be to completely change my opinion. Although the strawberry ice cream paired with the soft waffle lusciously, the best part was the strawberry sauce, flawlessly replacing syrup. Forget Romeo, the Juliet waffle was to die for and you could easily fall in love with it.
Sugar Club (La Namtan in Thai) began in 1989 and rapidly grew to become the hub for both food and culture for the Thai community in Elmhurst. It was the first place that appealed to Chirawat “Jimmy” Withanwattana when he arrived in the U.S. So with his wife, they took over what was a small shop in February 2011. Three years later, the store’s size was eventually quadrupled and they added a cafe. As befits the name, Sugar Club’s cafe sells a plenty amount and varieties of dessert.
In writing this article, my stomach is growling all over again. But this place is a true definition of a hidden gem. If it wasn’t for social media, I would completely walk by this place and not realize I’m missing out on so much. Sugar Club is a one of a kind Thai restaurant that specializes in deserts. You will never find a place like this in NYC. Despite its cost, it is worth what you get. You can’t go wrong with any desserts and it’s unquestionably picture worthy. The staff pay close attention to detail assembling your treat and are extremely friendly which you don’t get a lot in a place like New York. So if you ever happen to be in Elmhurst, you should definitely check this place out. On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an 11.
