Bang! Bang! the sounds of pots and pans dance like angels in the air, the smell of paprika and broth rush into your nostrils. Are you in Thailand or a cocoon-like restaurant at the bottom of the hill?

Originality doesn’t come easy, especially when you’re a restaurant in New York City. If you have ever taken a walk around its streets, you notice a lack of uniqueness when it comes to a restaurant’s style, inside and out. Amina Thai is a restaurant that sure breaks the ice.

Amina Thai brings Thailand to New York and not at the expense of the city, but in Queens. “We make real authentic Thai food, also it’s Halal, it’s different,” owner Asiyah Hajiwangoh stated.

Located in the center of schools and other businesses alike, Asiyah Hajiwangoh isn’t worried about Amina Thai getting lost in the midst of the other nearby Asian restaurant.

They offer reasonable prices, including a $8 Lunch Special, which comes with a couple of charms of their own, such as free appetizers or a side of rice.

Asiyah Hajiwangoh shared that one of the reasons why many people enjoy coming back to Amina Thai is because of the Drunken Noodles and King Chicken. Both of which are made right in her restaurant along with the rest of her food. The Drunken Noodles are “stir-fried flat noodles, with bell peppers and onions.” The King Chicken is made with a homemade secret sauce and an authentic peanut sauce.

Nowadays having the chance to taste part of a country means traveling there yourself, unless you go to restaurants like Amina Thai and enjoy a piece of Thailand.