Diners know what they are eating at Marnie’s. The ingredients in the salmon with Indian tomato curry came through with wonderful clarity: cumin, turmeric and cayenne, all mixed in a kind of tomato paste and combined with fresh fish over jasmine rice.
A Thai basil pesto special could not have been simpler, or more tasty. Made with lemon juice and peanuts, it had a brighter, subtler flavor than Italian-style pesto. And the Asian chicken wings were plump and crispy, with a black pepper kick that tickled the nose and warmed the belly.
Ms. Henricksson picks her ingredients carefully, getting many of them in Chinatown but others from select suppliers in Brooklyn and New Jersey. So her soba has a high percentage of buckwheat for flavor and just enough flour to keep it firm. Instead of turning to mush in the soba noodle soup, the pasta remained almost al dente.
Casings for her egg rolls — which are made with pork, shrimp and cabbage and served with extraordinary mustard and plum sauces — are made fresh in the city. For those used to either overfried or mushy versions, Marnie’s egg rolls will be a revelation: full of flavor, pleasingly crisp and amazingly fresh.
Marnie’s focus on simplicity permeates her menu. I so loved the house salad’s soy-and-ginger dressing that I could have sipped it by the teaspoon, but I was relieved it did not saturate the mixed greens. Instead, there was just enough to bring out the peppery goodness of the lettuce, not overpower it.
Desserts are limited to one a night, but the ones I had were winners. A plump, soft chocolate chip cookie was a terrific finish to one meal. On another, especially hot evening, the green tea ice cream was a refreshing, not-too-sweet pleasure.
Marnie’s Asian Kitchen
64 Pudding Street
Putnam Valley
(845) 603-5055
marniesasiankitchen.com
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