Thai

Easily found in any Thai restaurant around, I've never been particularly impressed with this simple dish of Kai Lan with Roasted Pork till I tried Cha Thai's rendition. Huge generous slabs of roast pork, lean yet moist, boasting a wonderful crackling; stir-fried with crunchy green leaves and lots of garlic. Besides the obviously superb meat, I was especially pleased at how the sauce merely coats the ingredients, keeping the dish light while delicious. Very unlike most that come swimming in a starchy sauce!

The owner explained that the true blue dish as found in Thailand is insanely - even unbearably - sweet. To suit the local palate, her rendition toned down on the sugar, instead taking an innovative spin and sweetening the dish with whole lychees. The end result was a curry that's super creamy, rich, a wee sweet and just plain addictive. Great bang for your buck too with 4-5 tiger prawns per order!

Was a little scared when I read "Tom Yum Toast", but the hesitation turned out to be unwarranted. Tuk Tuk Cha's Tom Yum Toast with Chicken Floss & Egg (S$3.50) was essentially a toastie encasing tom yum paste and your chosen fillings. Tasting like a cross between sambal and hae bi, the tom yum paste was nothing short of stunning! Together with the egg and floss, it made a simple yet delicious tea bite.

Except it isn't fried hence not that unhealthy! Soi 60's Iberico Pork (S$26++) was one of my favourites from the tasting. I love the spice crust which adds a welcomed - and surprising - kick. A superb compliment to the overnight-marinated lean meat. It's a little pricey, but I'll definitely order it again.

Nailing that delicate balance between the briny clams and flavourful broth is this amazing fried bee hoon. The noodles were silky smooth, soaking up all that stunning smokey broth. This is the epitome of a rustic dish executed with such grace and perfection. To think I never found something as stunning as this in Thailand itself.

Missing this so much right now. It's the spicy fish paste that we locals so love, just softer and mousse-like, and stuffed full with ocean bounty. Prawns, squid, fish, you name it. Chunks of fresh seafood and shredded sweet coconut flesh interlaced with that rich spicy paste - need I say more?

Tender, nicely ripened sweet mangoes; fragrant pandan-flavoured sticky glutinous rice; and a generous blanket of creamy, decadent coconut sauce. I'm defo not the authority on Mango Sticky Rice cause I haven't had much, but this is one of the best I've tried. That and I love the vibrant tropical colours in this dish!

It was the Hommok (Thai-style otah) that I travelled here for, but I ended up loving every dish we had on the table. I can't decide which ones I like more! Every dish was fragrant and bursting with spices.

Still missing this amazingly yummy Prawn Cakes ($12) I had hours ago over lunch. Amazing Thai food as usual.

I've never been to Thailand so I really can't vouch for authenticity, but Nakhon Kitchen's Thai food has got to be the most authentic-tasting one I've ever had. Every dish reveals the complex variety that a proper use of delicate spices can bring to a dish.