Alfie’s opened its doors in Washington, D.C. as a new restaurant dedicated to traditional northern Thai cuisine, relying heavily on ingredients sourced from the surrounding area. The concept was created by chefs Justin Ahn and Alex McCoy, who first presented the menu as a pop-up in the Petworth neighborhood back in 2017 before traveling around the world, serving diners in New York and London. This year, the restaurant put down permanent roots in a Georgetown alleyway.
The co-owners recently guided a small group through the newly installed kitchen, pointing out the stations where signature plates such as som tam salad and Thai steak frites are assembled. Visitors observed the careful layout that allows each component to be prepared just moments before service.
The kitchen staff prepares only five portions of the curry steak frites each night, ensuring each plate receives meticulous attention. They select 26-ounce rib-eye cuts, sear them to order, and then coat the meat in a massaman-style curry peppercorn sauce that has been simmered for hours. The finished steak rests beside a pile of crisp “bar fries,” a side that the chefs describe as the perfect vehicle for soaking up the fragrant sauce.
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International Expansion and Hand-Cut Preparations
The chefs traveled around the world, serving diners in New York and London before committing to a permanent space in D.C. During the kitchen tour, they hand-cut green papaya for the som tam salad. A video captures the team breaking down rib-eye steaks for their take on a steak au poivre, showcasing precise knife work.
After searing, the peppercorn-massaman sauce is finished in the pan with the rendered beef fat, enriching its flavor. This preparation is shown in this episode of Now Open.
