his latest addition to the Harlem dining scene is an old freight house that has been converted into a surprisingly impressive resto-lounge. The building is a nice little Thai-Latin duplex complete with a morphing colored light scheme and an upstairs bottle-service lounge (for all you classy drinkin’ folk). It’s the latest arrival to a burgeoning line of restaurants in the area that’s being dubbed Viaduct Valley (other eateries that are part of the club include Dinosaur, Hudson River Cafe, Covo, and Fairway). The location may be a little out of the way (don’t give a cab driver the address…it will only confuse him), but Talay and all the other new restaurants are well worth a visit.

The enormous kitchen is run by chef King Phojanakong, who serves up such delectable dishes as lemongrass-garlic baby back ribs and Szechuan-pepper-crusted New York strip. It’s a big step up for the chef who was previously in charge of the small but respected Kuma Inn. You probably don’t recognize his name or the term Viaduct Valley, but that’s only because both are on the verge of popularity and extreme trendiness. Go now and you can get there ahead of the curb. Your reputation as a New York food snob just might depend on it.—P.B.