Located within Djitsun Mall in Ang Mo Kio, Khao Hom by Rung Mama is a hidden gem opened by a Thai lady with the recipes from her mother, Rung Mama.

It will be opening a second outlet at Katong Square by end October 2022, taking over the former premise that is vacated by Goldleaf Restaurant.

Khao Hom by Rung Mama offers an array of authentic Thai dishes at reasonable prices and some of the popular options include Grilled Moo Ping, Thai-style Steamed Seabass with lime sauce, Tom Yum Seafood and Thai Papaya Salad.

The robust-tasting Crab Meat with yellow curry and Thai Noodles, also known as Ke Nom Jin Kaeng Pu, is super fiery, hot and spicy.

The Seafood & Crab in Thai Curry Powder (Talay Phad Phong Karee) is is less spicy but no less flavourful, and it goes super well with a iced cold Chang beer!

Khao Hom by Rung Mama’s new location at Katong Square is much bigger than their original outlet and the bigger kitchen will allow them to come up with new additions for the menu.

East-siders have another new Thai food option to dine at for solid Thai food!

Khao Hom by Rung Mama
88 E Coast Rd, #01-05/06/07 Katong Square
Singapore 423371

Located at Customs House overlooking the Marina Bay waterfront, Sabai Fine Thai offers mouth-watering, flavourful Thai dishes and it comes with a magnificent panorama view of Singapore’s city skyline.

The prices of the food are on the heftier side, but it’s not surprising to us, given the prime location. Nonetheless, this waterfront restaurant is a nice place to celebrate a special occasion, especially if you are craving for Thai food.

You have the choice to enjoy your food inside and admire the intricate decor of the Thai restaurant, or dine outside to enjoy the scenic bayfront view.

We started off with the Khao Dtang Nar Dtang (S$20.50), which are crispy rice crackers served with simmered minced chicken and minced prawns in coconut milk. The rice crackers had a good crunch, and coupled with the delicious dip, it makes for a delectable appetiser.

The restaurant leads up to an equally delicious main dish, the Pla Neung Manao (S$48). It consists of steamed seabass; and seasoned with bird’s eye chilli, garlic and fresh lime juice.

Wash the food down with their refreshing, classic Sabai Mojito, made with lemongrass, lime, homemade ginger and lime syrup, crushed ice, and topped off with ginger ale. The best drink to battle the heat.

End off your meal with the Kao Niew Mamuang (S$23). The mangoes were sweet, ripe and juicy, and paired with sweetened sticky rice, this dessert was devoured within minutes.

Sabai Fine Thai
70 Collyer Quay
#01-02 Customs House
Singapore 049323
Tel: +65 6535 3718

Singapore is home to a multitude of international cuisines and one we always find ourselves craving for from time to time is Thai cuisine.

Thai food is unmistakable; it is vibrant, dynamic and full-flavoured from the use of rich spices to portray a combination of spicy, sour, sweet and salty notes. In Singapore, we are blessed to have a huge number of Thai dining establishments that cater to any kind of budget you have—whether you are looking for no-frills eateries or classy restaurants.

Whenever you are craving for some good Thai food, refer to our guide to 24 Thai Restaurants In Singapore To Visit At Least Once.

AH LOY THAI

An institution in its own right, Ah Loy Thai is a popular Thai restaurant along Tan Quee Lan street that sees a long queue on a daily basis. Their prices are kept affordable for the masses and quality of the food is always consistent. Always go for their Butter Calamari as it is one of their signature dishes.

9 Tan Quee Lan Street #01-04
Singapore 188098
Tel: +65 8488 6528
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 5pm – 8.30pm
Sat and Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 4.15pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

AROY DEE THAI KITCHEN

This is a great supper spot for the night owls who are hankering after Thai food in the middle of the night. As for food, the restaurant whips up tantalising classics from pineapple rice to a good old, lip-burning tom yum soup. You may want to get the chefs to go easy on the spice level though.

262 Middle Road
Singapore 188989
Tel: +65 6336 8812
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 6am
Sat and Sun: 12pm – 6am
Nearest Station: Bencoolen

AROY MAK MOOKATA

Who says mookata has to be an expensive affair? Aroy Mak Mookata along MacPherson Road is where you can have endless meats without breaking the bank. Their standard S$17.80 buffet comes with options such as marinated pork, sausages and tofu.

476-478 MacPherson Road
Singapore 368191
Tel: +65 9052 0555
Daily: 5pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

BAAN YING

Contemporary restaurant Baan Ying aims to inject some modernity to traditional Thai food. The chefs come all the way from Thailand and are very experienced in Thai home-style dishes. Some noteworthy dishes include Thai Red Curry with Chicken, Thai Basil Stir Fry and Tom Yum Goong.

103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07 Royal Square @ Novena
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 9111 7852
Mon to Fri: 11am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Sat and Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

BEERTHAI HOUSE RESTAURANT

Do not be deceived by its rundown outlook; Beerthai House Restaurant is actually a hidden gem at Golden Mile Tower and it offers a selection of affordable Thai main dishes, desserts and drinks. The restaurant’s Tom Yum Soup was one of our top favourites among all the other dishes that we tried.

5001 Beach Road
Golden Mile Tower
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6392 2491
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

DIANDIN LELUK THAI RESTAURANT

Nestled within “Little Thailand”, or otherwise known as Golden Mile Complex, Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant has a comprehensive menu with dishes that come with affordable price tags. You may take a while to decide on what to order, but you must not skip their Phad Thai and Thai Mango Salad.

5001 Beach Road
#01-67/68/69 Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6293 5101
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

FIRST THAI

First Thai sits on Purvis street and this no-frills Thai restaurant is best for their Tom Yum Seafood. If you are dining in a group, be sure to also order other classic Thai dishes including Olive Fried Rice and Fried Prawn Cake.

23 Purvis Street
Singapore 188600
Tel: +65 6339 3123
Tue to Sun: 11.340am – 2.10pm, 6pm – 9.10pm
(Closed on Monday)
Nearest Station: City Hall

FOLKS COLLECTIVE

Folks Collective is a place that will teleport you to Thailand; its decor which is sourced all the way from Thailand is inspired by Bangkok’s Rod Fai Vintage Market and you can expect comforting Thai dishes that see the likes of Pomelo Salad (S$10.90), Angel Wings (S$10.90) and Thai-style Sea Bass (S$33.90).

20 Cross Street
#01-25 China Square Central
Singapore 048422
Tel: +65 6536 6730
Mon to Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat and Sun: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown/Telok Ayer

GIN KHAO BISTRO

Dine against a mesmerising waterfront view as you indulge in the extremely satisfying Flame Grilled Pork Jowl with Thai Dip. Otherwise, there are also options in the likes of Pineapple Tom Yum soup served in Husk, Thai Soufflé Steamed Egg and Pineapple Sang Som.

31 Ocean Way
#01-12 Quayside Isle, Sentosa Cove
Singapore 098375
Tel: +65 6570 2208
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri and Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

HUAY KWANG THAI MOOKATA

Huay Kwang Thai has been around for a while and the mookata restaurant remains jam-packed with hungry patrons on a nightly basis. Prices for this all-you-can-eat mookata buffet are kept affordable—from S$19.90+ per adult for a Value Mak Mak Buffet—so diners will always return for more.

5001 Beach Road
#01-29/30/31 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 8588 9990
Daily: 5.30pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Bugis

JAI THAI RESTAURANT

Just a stone’s throw away from First Thai Restaurant, Jai Thai is a place that is always at the top of our minds when we are craving for delicious Thai food that is not expensive. They fry one of the better Pad Thais in town and at only S$5, you get a generous serving with fresh prawns included!

27 Purvis Street
#01-01 An Chuan Building
Tel: +65 6336 6908
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis/City Hall

KIN MOO

If you want to know where the Thais go to for excellent Thai food in Singapore, this is it. There is one dish on the menu we will never leave without ordering and that is their signature Thai Wanton Mee—springy, eggy and given a severely unhealthy dose of deep-fried pork lard. Worth every damn calorie!

2 Tan Quee Lan Street #01-02
Singapore 188091
Tel: +65 8795 1188
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

LONG CHIM

Celebrity David Thompson’s Thai restaurant Long Chim brings the flavours of Thai street food to Singapore’s shores and you can bet that it is every bit as outstanding. At this restaurant, you are treated to a scrumptious array of classic Thai recipes that have been tweaked with contemporary cooking methods.

10 Bayfront Avenue
#02-02 Atrium 2 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Singapore 018955
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

NAKHON KITCHEN

Admittedly one of the most well-known Thai dining establishments in Singapore, Nakhon Kitchen is a household name among the Singaporeans. Having been in this industry for years, they certainly know how to tickle the locals’ palette with signature dishes including basil chicken and green curry.

212 Hougang Street 21 #01-341
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6286 8785
(Closed on Wednesdays)
Mon to Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

NA NA ORIGINAL THAI FOOD

Yet another excellent no-frills Thai restaurant within Golden Mile Complex, you can always expect the dishes at Na Na Original Thai Food to be hearty and unpretentious. There is a plethora of choices but what we would recommend is their Thai Mango Salad and Pad Thai. Simple recipes that taste so good.

5001 Beach Road
#01-51/52/66A Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6297 8498
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Lavender

THAI GOLD FOOD

Thai Gold Food is a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Sunshine Plaza and one of the few hidden gems we would prefer to be kept a secret if we could. From their Mango Salad to Tom Yum, Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice, everything at this small and homely Thai eatery is cooked just right.

91 Bencoolen Street
#01-14/22 Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 6883 1575
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10pm
Sun: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

THAI TANTRIC AUTHENTIC THAI CUISINE

This place may not be fancy but who needs that when the food is great? Whenever we crave for Thai food without wanting to splurge, Thai Tantric is the place that will come to mind. Their Steamed Seabass in Thai Sauce is spectacular but if you are visiting solo, then you have to go for the Pineapple Fried Rice with Floss.

400 Orchard Road
#03-44 Orchard Tower
Singapore 238875
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
(Closed on Sunday)
Nearest Station: Orchard

THE ORIGINAL BOAT NOODLE

Paying homage to authentic Thai boat noodles, The Original Boat Noodle over at Changi City Point has a selective menu that displays only two classic flavours. Insanely addictive on its own without the need for extra condiments, do not be shy about wolfing down more than five bowls at a go!

5 Changi Business Park Central 1
#B1-34A Changi City Point
Singapore 486038
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Expo

TIEW MAI THAI BOAT NOODLES

If variety is what you look for in Thai boat noodles, Tiew Mai Boat Noodles is one place you should definitely check out. Their menu consists of three types of soup bases (Pork/Beef/Tom Yum) with a variety of noodles for you to choose from. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the beef Thai Boat noodles here come with generous additions of beef slices and beef balls.

1187 Upper Serangoon Road
#01-22 The MidTown
Singapore 533971
Tel: +65 6238 0184
Mon to Fri: 12.30pm – 10.30pm
Sat and Sun: 12.30pm – 4pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Hougang

SAWADEE THAI CUISINE RESTAURANT

Located in the busy Bugis district, Sawadee Thai Cuisine Restaurant dishes out delicious Thai food that comes in the most vibrant of colours. If you are a fan of Thai classics, the Tom Yum Soup (S$12/S$18), Thai-Style Otah on Clayplate (S$10++/4pcs) and Panaeng Red Curry Crabmeat (S$20++) come highly recommended.

9 Tan Quee Lan Street
Singapore 188098
Daily: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

SIAM SQUARE MOOKATA

Having been around since 2013, Siam Square Mookata is dedicated to serving only the best ingredients to keep the produce fresh for their diners. Diners get to choose among three various levels of chilli sauce which is made in-house, using a secret recipe that is only known to their chefs.

6001 Beach Road
#B1-63 Golden Mile Tower
Singapore 199589
Tel: +65 8119 6664
Sat to Thu: 3pm to 6am
Fri: 3pm – 5am
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

SOI THAI KITCHEN

Serangoon Gardens is a food haven with plenty of eateries and restaurants to visit. If you are craving for solid they food, then Soi Thai Kitchen is where you can feast on tom yum soup, basil pork and Thai fried rice to your heart’s content. Prices are cheap and you get to save on get and service charge too.

58 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555954
Tel: +65 6282 3788
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sat and Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Serangoon

SOI 19 WANTON MEE

One of our top picks for insanely good Thai wanton mee, Soi 19 Wanton Mee has two signature main dishes that are worth returning for—the Thai-style wanton mee and pig trotter rice. Its obscure location may turn you off but it will be a shame to miss out on this hidden gem!

9 Yio Chu Kang Road
#01-56 Space@Kovan
Singapore 545523
Tel: +65 9138 8881
Tue to Sun: 10am – 9.45pm
(Closed on Monday)
Nearest Station: Serangoon

SOI 47 THAI FOOD

Situated in Toa Payoh, Soi 47 is a Thai eatery in the heartlands that specialises in authentic Thai fare at low prices. Some of their hit items include their Steamed Sea Bass with Soy Sauce as well as their Stuffed Chicken Wing With Minced Chicken. Those who are health conscious will also be delighted to know that they do not use MSG at all.

47 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
Singapore 310047
Tel: +65 6266 4747
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Braddell / Toa Payoh

Located at South Bridge Road, Un-Yang-Kor-Dai is one of the few restaurants in Singapore that specialises in Authentic Issan cuisine. Issan cuisines are usually spicier and sourer, making it a very appetising dining experience.

This place gives off a modern and chill vibe, with soft lighting, wooden furniture, and upbeat music that makes one feel at home.

Un-Yang-Kor-Dai’s dishes definitely brings you an authentic Thai experience and if you are into hot and fiery food, this is definitely the place for you.

The first dish that came up was the Tom Kha Chicken (S$14.50++), which looked really spicy and appetising. We ordered the soup with coconut milk because it gives this rich and creamy texture, which makes the soup more flavourful.

True to what it looks, the soup was tangy and bursting with flavours—filled with lots of ingredients like chicken, tomato and mushrooms that makes the whole dish complete.

Next came a refreshing dish that helped wash down the spiciness of the tom yum soup. We are not really fans of salad but this Papaya Salad With Salted Egg (S$10.50++) definitely won us over. The papaya salad was zesty, spicy and refreshing—combined with the peanuts and salted egg gives this crunchy and flavourful experience.

Up next was their Massaman Curry With Chicken (S$16.50++) was topped with peanuts and also sweet potato, which surprisingly complimented the whole dish. Masaman doesn’t pack as much heat as other curries, so if you are into something less spicy, this is the dish for you.

Marinated with cinnamon and star anise, the shredded chicken was tender and flavoursome, and the taste of the whole dish was really sweet and satisfying.

Saving the best for the last, one of the best pork necks we had was served on our table. We love their Grilled Pork Neck (S$12.90++) because the fat to meat ratio was 1:1, making it the golden ratio which allows you to taste the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. Dipped in the special sauce that was spicy and savoury, we devoured the dish within minutes.

As this restaurant is located in the CBD area, prices of the food might be a little bit pricey but fret not, for those who are looking for a more wallet-friendly option, they also have set lunches that comes with complimentary tom yum soup on weekdays at only S$15++.

Un-Yang-Kor-Dai
57 South Bridge Road, #01-02
Singapore 058688
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

When it comes to Thai options in Singapore, most people may think of Golden Mile Complex but we sometimes find ourselves heading to Tan Quee Lan street because apart from the ever popular Ah Loy Thai, we also enjoy visiting Kin Moo and our most recent discovery—Sawadee Thai Cuisine.

Having been around for more than a decade, this Thai restaurant teleports you all the way to the Land of Smiles with its decadent Thai dishes and soft Thai jazz music serenading you while you dine.

Given its close proximity to offices in the Bugis district and communal dining concept, Sawadee Thai Cuisine is an ideal dining destination for working professionals during lunch time.

The restaurant’s interior is heavily inspired by Thai culture that is reflected from the use of wooden decor and Thai decorative ornaments.

Tom Yum Soup (small – S$12++, medium – S$18++) at Sawadee Thai is a concoction boasting spicy, sour and savoury notes that perked our taste buds immediately. Dig a little deeper and you will find tasty seafood such as sliced fish and prawns as well.

Thai-Style Otah on Clayplate (S$10++/4pcs) is an unassuming dish featuring mackerel fish mousse on a traditional clayplate. With the addition of rich Thai spices, the bite-sized otah pieces had aromatic and complex flavours which we enjoyed thoroughly.

While most places will opt for a simpler presentation, Sawadee Thai Cuisine’s Mango with Glutinous Rice (S$30++/sharing platter for 4 to 5 pax) truly impresses us with its gorgeous aesthetics. Alongside sweet mango cubes and glutinous rice coloured with all-natural butterfly pea flower, diners are also treated to creamy coconut ice cream which was we needed to end the meal on a high.

Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.

Sawadee Thai Cuisine
9 Tan Quee Lan St
Singapore 188098
Daily: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Read: 20 Thai Restaurants in Singapore that are cheap cheap good good

The popularity of Thai food in Singapore is evident from the large number of Thai restaurants and eateries in Singapore offering the best of local cuisine from the Land of Smiles.

New to the dining scene in Singapore is Baan Ying Singapore, a contemporary Thai restaurant, an authentic Thai eatery which first opened in Siam Paragon, Bangkok, 20 years back. Bringing to us the genuine taste of Thailand with a modern and local twist to its dishes, Baan Ying Cafe and Meal serves amazing and delectable Thai fare. In fact, some of the ingredients are imported all the way from Thailand to ensure that the food tastes exactly like how it does in Thailand!

Baan Ying Singapore serves up a wide range of Thai fare but they aren’t the normal Thai dishes you find at typical Thai eateries. From salads to curries to omelette rice, foodies will love the fusion of authenticity and innovation in their meal!

Prices are extremely reasonable and most fall below S$10, so you are really getting authentic Thai cuisine that is value-for-money!

From now to 30 June 2018, quote ‘Ladyironchef’ upon making reservations to enjoy 20% discount off a la carte menus on weekday dinner and weekend lunch and dinner. This promotion cannot be used jointly with other ongoing promotions at Baan Ying.

Baan Ying is conveniently located near Novena MRT station and the 126-seater casual restaurant boasts a modern outlook with door-to-ceiling glass windows.

SALADS

Whenever we hear the word ‘salad’, most of us will dismiss the idea entirely. None of us is massive fans of salads, but boy oh boy, the Thai-style salads at Baan Ying Singapore were so delicious we found ourselves going back for more again and again.

The Fried Morning Glory Salad (S$10.80), for example, comprises deep-fried morning glory leaves which are accompanied by a small bowl of minced pork. Scoop up a small portion of piquant minced pork bits and have it with the crispy greens; it was so addictive we went for extra helpings.

Other salads to consider are the Wing Bean Salad in Coconut Milk (S$9.80) and Glass Noodle Salad with Seafood (S$9.80).

PORK BELLY FRIED RICE WITH SALTED EGG

Fried rice on its own is tasty but fried rice with salted egg? Now, that is something worthy of mention. The salted egg yolk chunks gave the fried rice an added bite to it with its crisp texture and complements the fried rice instead of overpowering it.

To make it a substantial dish, you can look forward to thick, generous pieces of pork belly lying atop the bed of egg-coated fried rice.

SIGNATURE GREEN CHILI FRIED RICE

Fried rice is a typical street food in Thailand and if you are craving for some authentic Thai-style fried rice, the ideal fiery option for the solo diners would be the Signature Green Chili Fried Rice (S$9.80).

Squeeze a few drops of lime juice on the rice and have it with fresh red chili—now that’s how you enjoy Thai fried rice at its finest.

MORE THAI DISHES

The best part about dining at Baan Ying is that the food can be catered to single diners and even those who are visiting in groups.

Some outstanding ones to try are Thai Red Curry with Chicken (S$12.80), Pork & String Bean Stir-Fry (S$9.80) and Century Egg with Minced Pork & Basil (S$11.80).

DEEP-FRIED SEABASS WITH CRISPY HERBS

Besides the individual portions, those who are visiting with their family or groups of friends can consider options that are catered for communal dining.

For a wholesome dish, the Deep-Fried Seabass with Crispy Herbs (S$32.80) is a crowd-pleaser that cannot go wrong. When it comes to deep-fried seabass, It is important to ensure that the fish remains juicy and moist on the inside while the skin is crispy—which was exactly what we got at Baan Ying. Of course, the addition of herbs heightened the sweet, original taste of the fish.

Other family-friendly dishes include Stuffed Squid Steamed in Herbs (S$14.80), Assorted Seafood On Hotplate (S$14.80) and Steamed Seabass with Chili & Lime (S$32.80).

CHILI SOFT SHELL CRAB AND MUSSELS IN OMELETTE RICE (WITH CHILI CRAB SAUCE)

Look forward to their seasonal special: Chili Soft Shell Crab and Mussels in Omelette Rice (with Chili Crab Sauce). It was amazing! The full-flavoured Thai-styled chilli crab sauce was generously ladled over steaming white rice, then topped off with a well-executed omelette egg that was still runny in the middle.

The rich gravy reminded us of Singapore’s iconic chilli crab dish because of the sweet and spicy notes. Yet, they are not exactly similar as the chefs at Baan Ying are more heavy handed with the spice—sticking true to traditional Thai cooking methods.

THAI-STYLE DESSERTS

What better way to end off your meal than with some Thai desserts? We loved the traditional Mango With Butterfly Pea Sticky Rice, Rainbow Ruby in Coconut Milk and Home Made Mango Jelly with Coconut & Mango.

The restaurant is looking to expand their dessert menu so keep your eyes peeled for what’s to come next!

As mentioned earlier, quote ‘Ladyironchef’ upon making reservations to enjoy 20% discount off a la carte menus on weekday dinner and weekend lunch and dinner from now to 30 June 2018. This promotion cannot be used jointly with other ongoing promotions at Baan Ying.

Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.

Baan Ying Singapore
103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07, Royal Square At Novena
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 9111 7852
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

This post is brought to you by Baan Ying Singapore.

The Original Boat Noodle at Changi City Point is a new restaurant everyone needs to know about.

As with most Thai dishes, their food features a punchy marriage of herbs, spices and aromatics, as well as the iconic 4 tastes—sweet, salty, spicy and sour—resulting in a plethora of dishes encompassing complex flavours reminiscent of the hearty street foods of Bangkok.

Starting out humbly along the back alleys of Bangkok, the restaurant, as well as its menu, has grown exponentially since its first outlet opened in Malaysia in 2014 and with it, fuelled many people’s interest toward the dish as well as Thai street fare in general.

Their boat noodle selection is limited to two classic flavours but, make no mistake that by the end of your meal, you’ll probably be shocked by the number of bowls you have towering over your table.

THAI BOAT NOODLE

Like most Thai soups, the stock is a complex harmony of herbs, spices and aromatics, resulting in a sweet and sometimes tangy broth full of varying flavour profiles. Over at The Original Boat Noodle, they specialise in two variations of the iconic Thai snack—Pathumthani and Ayutthaya.

Pathumthani (S$1.20 per bowl) uses dark soy sauce as the foundation of its flavour with the addition of herbs and aromatics to give it a warm, assertive kick. Sourish with a good amount of heat, spice lovers should opt for this rendition.

Ayutthaya (S$1.20), on the other hand, boasts a creamier, richer broth that is mildly spicy with aromatic notes from warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and star anise. We liked that it possesses a much fuller body as compared to the former but if we had to decide on a winner, it would no doubt be its tangier counterpart.

Chicken or beef can be had with either choice but you probably wouldn’t need to choose given how small each portion is—because you’ll probably be ordering them all.

KRA POW CHICKEN RICE

Kra Pow Chicken Rice (S$8.80), or as many would recognise as the iconic basil chicken rice, is a great rice option to have should you wish for a more substantial meal. Served with white rice is a fried egg as well as a generous portion of minced chicken fried in a mixture of chilli, Thai basil leaves, and fish sauce.

A hearty, authentically-made dish—made even better with the runny egg yolk that just coats itself beautifully on everything—this is easily something we can imagine ourselves returning for.

BANGKOK OMELETTE RICE

Cooked to perfection with a fluffy center and crispy edges served atop rice and a coconut-based curry-like sauce, the Bangkok Omelette Rice (S$8.80) is a lot more than what it seems. Fried in hot shallow oil, the beaten egg is able to get crisp around the edges while the insides puff up, allowing its center to achieve a nice fluffy texture.

Greasy, yet comforting the same way fried chicken would be on an empty stomach, the dish stands up well on its own, especially so with the sauce that gives the egg a creamy flavour and a hint of spice.

TASTY CHICKEN WINGS

Served piping hot, crispy and tasty (as its name suggests), the Tasty Chicken Wings (S$4.80 for 3, S$6.80 for 5) is without a doubt a crowdpleaser and probably something that kids would love.

There really isn’t anything special to shout about with regards to this dish but as far as fried chicken wings go, we were pretty much sold the second we felt the skin crackle under the weight of our teeth.

Available on their menu is a myriad of signature side dishes from the classic Som Tam Thai (S$4.80) or papaya salad, the highly popular Crunchy Thai Popeye’s Tempura (S$3.80) and more. But perhaps the one dish that stood out the most was their Flame Grilled Ayam Legend (S$8.80).

Brimming with deep char-grilled flavours, tender meat and further accented with a sweet, salty, tangy and spicy dip, what else can we say? If there was one dish that truly epitomizes the 4 iconic tastes of Thai food, this would be it.

HOT STEAMY SANGKAYAA

For the love of all things comforting, we must admit that their Hot Steamy Sangkayaa (S$4.80) really hit the spot. Essentially a dim sum tray filled with steamed bread that comes with a luscious kaya dip in the middle, this dessert item was delightful from the first bite to the very last.

The house-made kaya is a sweet and creamy one that is heavy on pandan—which makes it all the better. The steamed bread felt a notch denser than your average bread too. It was chewier, aromatic and just the perfect vessel to hold onto all that decadent kaya.

MADE-FROM-SCRATCH BEVERAGES

Boasting a wide array of beverages such as Cha Yen (S$3.80) and Cha Keow Yen (S$3.80), the restaurant takes pride in preparing all of their beverages the old-fashioned way with properly brewed tea leaves and none of the powdered stuff typically found elsewhere.

That is real dedication and a great testament of their quality. Another Cha Yen, please!

The Original Boat Noodle
5 Changi Business Park Central 1,
Changi City Point #B1-34A
Singapore 486038
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Expo

This post was brought to you by The Original Boat Noodle.

No one really knows why or where Thailand got its nickname, ‘The Land Of Smiles’, but we like to believe that one of the main reasons is their local delicacies.

Thai cuisine is renowned for its distinctive flavours which heavily relies on four fundamental tastes: sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. Whether it’s a bowl of tom yum soup, green curry, pad thai or simply a mango sticky rice dessert, you are bound to be left extremely satisfied.

Anytime is a good time for some tasty and affordable Thai food so here is our list of affordable Thai eateries in Singapore.

AH LOY THAI

A bustling Thai food haven along Tan Quee La Street, Ah Loy Thai is an institution that has captured the hearts of many. We like that prices are kept affordable for the masses and their small menu allows them to dish out food of exceptional quality every time.

Their Butter Calamari is one of their signature dishes and for good reason. The dish is deep-fried to a light, golden crisp and coated with a spiced butter that oozes the most intense umami flavour ever.

9 Tan Quee Lan Street, #01-04,
Singapore 188098
Tel: +65 8488 6528
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 3pm, 4.15pm – 8.30pm
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 4.15pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

AROY DEE THAI KITCHEN

Popular among the nightlife crowd for being one of the only Thai eateries around that opens until 6am, Aroy Dee Thai Kitchen on Middle Road does tantalising classics from pineapple rice to a good old, lip-burning tom yum soup.

These people don’t mess around when it comes to spice so it would probably do you good if you tell the staff to go easy on the spice when you order.

262 Middle Road,
Singapore 188989
Tel: +65 6336 8812
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 5pm – 6am
Fri to Sun: 11.30am – 6am
Nearest Station: Little India / Dhoby Ghaut

BAAN YING

New to the dining scene in Singapore is Baan Ying, a contemporary Thai restaurant with seven outlets from Bangkok so you can be assured that the chefs themselves come all the way from Thailand and are very experienced in Thai home-style dishes.

Some noteworthy dishes include Thai Red Curry with Chicken, Thai Basil Stir Fry and Tom Yum Goong.

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103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07, Royal Square At Novena
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 9111 7852
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

BEERTHAI HOUSE RESTAURANT

Beerthai House Restaurant at Golden Mile Tower offers a selection of affordable Thai main dishes, desserts and drinks. The restaurant’s Tom Yum Soup was one of our top favourites among all the other dishes that we tried.

Some of their other items that we highly recommend include the Stir Fried Pork Garlic with Rice, Pork Leg Rice and Thai Steamboat.

5001 Beach Road
Golden Mile Tower
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6392 2491
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

DIANDIN LELUK THAI RESTAURANT

There is no lack of Thai food options when you find yourself wandering around Golden Mile Complex but one of the more prominent stand-outs is Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant.

Its menu is comprehensive and nothing is overly expensive. You may take a while to decide on what to order, but you must not skip their Phad Thai and Thai Mango Salad.

5001 Beach Road
#01-67/68/69 Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6293 5101
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

FIRST THAI RESTAURANT

The first Thai restaurant is an old steward that sits on Purvis Street. It is one of the more well-known no-frills Thai Restaurants, and their Tom Yum Seafood is a must-order.

Serving standard Thai dishes, you have to consider their Olive Fried Rice and Fried Prawn Cake.

23 Purvis Street
Singapore 188600
Tel: +65 6339 3123
(Closed on Mondays)
Tue to Sun: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

JAI THAI RESTAURANT

Located a stone’s throw away from First Thai, Jai Thai at Purvis Street is a perennial favourite whenever we find ourselves at Bugis or craving for Thai food in general. Cheap and good sounds overrated, but it describes exactly what dining at this humble restaurant entails.

They fry one of the better Pad Thais in town and at only S$5, you get a generous serving with fresh prawns included!

27 Purvis Street
#01-01 An Chuan Building
Tel: +65 6336 6908
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis/City Hall

KIN MOO

KinMoo is a Thai eatery that has been gaining a steady reputation for their mouthwatering and inexpensive Thai food among the locals and the Thai community in Singapore as well.

If there is one dish on their menu you have to try, it would be their signature, Thai Wanton Mee—springy, eggy and given a severely unhealthy dose of deep-fried pork lard.

2 Tan Quee Lan Street, #01-02
Singapore 188091
Tel: +65 9767 7784
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

NAKHON KITCHEN

Setting up shop in some of the more prominent heartlands of Singapore, namely Bedok, Hougang and Ang Mo Kio, Nakhon Kitchen has undeniably won the hearts of Singaporeans islandwide.

Practically every dish is flawless—from their basil chicken to their green curry. The queues are insanely long but you can bet that they are worth it.

212 Hougang Street 21, #01-341,
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6286 8785
(Closed on Wednesdays)
Mon to Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

NA NA ORIGINAL THAI FOOD

Fuss-free, with a large selection of authentic and delicious Thai food at humble prices, Nana Thai Restaurant is one of our favourite Thai eateries at Golden Mile Complex.

We go absolutely berserk over their Thai Mango Salad, but nothing makes us salivate as quickly as their Pad Thai.

5001 Beach Road
#01-51/52 Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6297 8498
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Lavender

SAWADEE THAI CUISINE

Having been around for more than a decade, Sawadee Thai Cuisine teleports you all the way to the Land of Smiles with its decadent dishes made using ingredients imported from Thailand and soft Thai jazz music serenading you while you dine.

Given its close proximity to offices in the Bugis district and communal dining concept, Sawadee Thai Cuisine is an ideal dining destination for working professionals during lunch time.

9 Tan Quee Lan St
Singapore 188098
Daily: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

THAI GOLD FOOD

A popular haunt at Sunshine Plaza, Thai Gold Food offers simple and satisfying Thai food at extremely reasonable prices. From their Mango Salad to Tom Yum, Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice, everything at this small and homely Thai eatery is cooked just right.

Those who are on a tight budget will be pleased that most of the items on their menu are reasonably priced below $10.

91 Bencoolen Street
#01-14/22 Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 6883 1575
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10pm
Sun: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

THE THAI STREET CO.

For those who are working near Labrador Park, an affordable eatery to check out is The Thai Street Co. A sister outlet to the now-defunct Great Thai @ East Village at Upper Changi Road, this relatively unknown Thai eatery is located at Fragrance Empire Building.

Drop by for the set lunches which include Basil Pork Rice or go for their a la carte options such as Pad Thai and Green Curry.

456 Alexandra Road
#01-06, Fragrance Empire Building
Singapore 119962
Tel: +65 6266 8511
(Closed on Saturday & Sunday)
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 10pm
Fri: 9am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Labrador Park

THAI TANTRIC

Thai Tantric at Orchard Towers is our all-time favourite Thai restaurants in Singapore. It is not a fancy restaurant but boy is their food legit.

What makes this no-frills eatery a place we constantly return to is its inexpensive menu and its insanely delicious Thai fare. Their Steamed Seabass in Thai Sauce is stellar but if you decide to visit alone, then the Pineapple Fried Rice with Floss should set you up just right.

You will have to brave the unwanted attention in Orchard Towers to get to Thai Tantric, but trust us, it is definitely worth the trip.

#03-23 Towers, 400 Orchard Road
Singapore 238875
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

THE ORIGINAL BOAT NOODLE

If you ever find yourself craving authentic Thai boat noodles or Thai street fare in general, then allow The Original Boat Noodle over at Changi City Point to be your guiding light towards all things rustic and delicious.

Their boat noodle selection is limited to two classic flavours but, make no mistake that by the end of your meal, you’ll probably be shocked by the number of bowls you have towering over your table.

Other than the classic Thai boat noodle, this humble Thai eatery also offers a range of delicious and affordable Thai dishes including Kra Pow Chicken Rice (S$8.80) and Som Tam Thai (S$4.80).

5 Changi Business Park Central 1,
Changi City Point #B1-34A
Singapore 486038
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Expo

TIEW MAI THAI BOAT NOODLES

Serving up hearty bowls of Thai Boat noodles that come in various flavours, Tiew Mai Boat Noodles is one place you should definitely check out.

As far as Thai boat noodles are concerned, their menu consists of three types of soup bases (Pork/Beef/Tom Yum) with a variety of noodles for you to choose from. The Beef Thai Boat Noodles here comes with generous helpings of beef slices and beef balls.

1187 Upper Serangoon Road
The Midtown Residences
Singapore 533971
Tel: +65 6238 0184
Nearest Station: Hougang

SIRIWAN THAI FOOD

If you are looking for another option at Golden Mile Complex, Siriwan Thai Food is a decent choice. Guests can expect classic Thai dishes including Basil Pork, Tom Yum Soup, Pineapple Rice with Prawn and Pad Thai.

For the hearty eaters, some tantalising side dishes to complete your meal are the Salted Egg Salad, Veg Samosa and Deep-Fried Prawn with Breadcrumbs.

5001 Beach Rd,
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6913 5981
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

SOI THAI KITCHEN

Up for some spicy, sour and full-flavoured Thai cuisine? Make your way to Soi Thai Kitchen in Serangoon Gardens where you can feast on tom yum soup, basil pork and Thai fried rice to your heart’s content.

Dishes range from S$6 to S$10 and customers save on GST and service charges when they dine there.

58 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555954
Tel: +65 6282 3788
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 1.30pm
Nearest Station: Serangoon

SOI 19 THAI WANTON MEE

To satisfy your craving for authentic Thai-style wanton mee, your best bet would be to pay Soi 19 Wanton Mee a visit. Two main dishes take centre stage here—their Thai-style wanton mee and pig trotter rice.

A bowl of wanton mee begins at S$4 right up to S$6—which might seem pretty hefty—but it definitely beats the price of an air ticket.

9 Yio Chu Kang Road SPACE@KOVAN #01-56
Singapore 545523
Tel: +65 9138 8881
Nearest Station: Serangoon

SOI 47 THAI FOOD

A hidden gem in the Toa Payoh is Soi 47, a year-old Thai eatery that specialises in authentic Thai fare at wallet-friendly prices. A substantial meal here—drink and dessert included—will not set you back at more than S$15 per head.

Some of their hit items include their Steamed Sea Bass with Soy Sauce as well as their Stuffed Chicken Wing With Minced Chicken. It is also good to note that the good folks pride themselves on the fact that they do not use MSG.

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47 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh,
Singapore 310047
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Mon to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Braddell / Toa Payoh

Singaporeans cannot get enough of Thai wanton noodles, a unique style of wanton noodles comprising springy egg noodles, tender char siew, and crispy wanton tossed in pork lard. But besides the ever popular Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee, where else can you get a tantalising bowl of Thai wanton noodles in Singapore?

Situated along bustling Tan Quee Lan Street, KinMoo is a Thai eatery that opened early this year. Despite being relatively new to the food scene in the Bugis district, KinMoo has been gaining a steady reputation for their mouthwatering Thai food that is not overly expensive.

Just a short walk from exit D of Bugis MRT station, KinMoo is where you will find us slurping up noodles and spicy tom yum goong when our Thai cuisine cravings kick in.

You know KinMoo is the right place for authentic Thai food when the eatery is managed by a Thai owner who also runs another restaurant in Phuket—even more so when the place is frequently visited by Thais in Singapore.

If there is one dish on their menu you definitely have to try, that would be their signature Thai Wanton Mee (S$7.90++). The al dente noodles were executed to perfection, giving each mouthful a springy bite; the fragrance of the noodles was further elevated with the addition of pork lard.

The mouthwatering bowl of noodles came with wanton, char siew, vegetables and various condiments such as fried lard, shallots and coriander. Toss all the ingredients together and you get an amazing harmony of flavours that do not overpower each other.

We also highly recommend the Pad Thai (S$8.90++). The fragrant stir-fried rice noodles were accompanied with extremely fresh and large prawns, bean sprouts, egg and toasted peanuts. Squeeze a few drops of lime juice to enhance the overall flavour.

No dining experience at a Thai eatery is complete without having the Tom Yum Soup (S$12.90++). For those who have a decent level of spice tolerance, KinMoo’s tom yum soup will satisfy even the pickiest taste buds.

The myriad of sour and spicy tones perked us up immediately and we had bowls after bowls of this addictive soup together with our mains. The bubbling pot of soup contained juicy prawns, mushrooms, squid and others.

KinMoo
2 Tan Quee Lan Street, #01-02
Singapore 188091
Tel: +65 9767 7784
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Golden Mile Complex or otherwise known fondly as “Little Thailand” to the locals and Thais living in Singapore is a mall that is always bustling with activity throughout the day.

While most people would know the place for its pubs and drinking places, there are also many humble eateries and hidden restaurants inside that cater for the lunch crowd during midday too.

Whether you are craving for traditional Pad Thai, creamy Green Curry or simply want to fill your hungry stomach with aromatic beef boat noodles, you will surely be able to find them all at Golden Mile Complex.

Here is our Golden Mile Complex Food Guide, featuring 11 Thai eateries that you must dine at.

#1 BANANA/ YAM/ SWEET POTATO FRITTERS

You will be able to find a simple stall selling fried fritters located outside the Thai supermarket. Flavours include banana, yam and sweet potato and they are going for 5 pieces at S$2. The banana fritters have been deep fried into just the right crispiness.

5001 Beach Road
Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#2 BAANTHAI KITCHEN

Baanthai Kitchen is essentially a food court with various stalls for you to choose from. Since the Thai Boat Noodle stall looked promising, we gave their Beef Noodles Soup (S$5) a try. The soup was flavourful and comes with good portions of mixed beef and silky kway tiao reua (boat noodles).

5001 Beach Road
Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#3 BEERTHAI HOUSE RESTAURANT

It is easy to miss this restaurant tucked at the back of Golden Mile Complex. We have heard that this place is popular and gets really crowded on the weekends so be sure to reach early to get yourself a table! Signature dishes include Pad Thai, Green Curry and Tom Yam Soup.

5001 Beach Road
#01-96 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#4 DIANDIN LELUK

One of the more well known Thai restaurants in Golden Mile Complex, Diandin Leluk offers authentic Thai food such as BBQ Pork, Papaya Salad, Oven-Baked Pineapple Rice, Salted Crab and more.

5001 Beach Road
#01-67/68/69 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6293 5101
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#5 LUCKY THAI FOOD

Lucky Thai Food is opened from 6pm till late, making it the choice destination for dinner and supper. You can expect wallet-friendly authentic Thai food when dining at this cosy eatery.

5001 Beach Road
#01-39 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6341 5860
Daily: 6pm – 5am
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#6 NANA ORIGINAL THAI FOOD

The menu at Nana Thai is large. Besides the usual tom yum ($10), pineapple rice ($7), stir-fried glass noodle ($5), they also have Thai hotpot ($30), and a selection of grilled items done in Thai style. The moist and well-fried pad thai ($5) is something you must order there.

5001 Beach Road
#01-51/52/66C Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6297 8498
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#7 NANGFA CAFE & BAR

We are thrilled to find this hidden gem in Golden Mile Complex that offers Thai Laksa Buffet for an affordable price of S$10! If that sounds too much for you, go for their a la carte Laksa (S$5) instead.

5001 Beach Road
#01-91 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Daily: 11am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#8 NEW UDON THAI FOOD

A reputable mookata shop in Golden Mile Complex, it is not surprising to see long queues for dinner at New Udon Thai Food. Diners get to choose between a la carte or set menus which the staff will recommend base on your dining group. If you are a meat lover, you must try their extremely well-marinated pork slices.

5001 Beach Road
#01-55 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#9 NONGKHAI BEER HOUSE

You will definitely not miss Nongkhai Beer House’s bright orange signboard inside the shopping complex. Even at nonpeak hours, the Thai restaurant is able to draw in a huge crowd. Blend in with the Thais by having a few bottles of beer to accompany the food.

5001 Beach Road
#01-73/74 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#10 NOODLE CAFE

Walk down a flight of stairs leading to the basement to find Noodle Cafe. This humble eatery has been making its rounds on social media for serving S$1.90 per bowl of traditional boat noodles.

5001 Beach Road
#B1-08 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Daily: 12pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

#11 Y CUBE MOOKATA BUFFET

The mookata hype has been ongoing for several years and does not seem to be slowing down any moment. Y Cube Mookata Buffet opens for long hours throughout the day with a wide range of seafood and meat.

5001 Beach Road
#02-45 Golden Mile Complex
Singapore 199588
Tel: +65 6291 3313/ 9159 9152
Mon to Thu: 3pm – 6am
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 6am

Apart from food places, you can also do some grocery shopping at Golden Mile Complex too. In addition to the Thai supermarket at level 2, there are also a few small grocery stalls that sell fresh meat, vegetables and spices.

Founded by local celebrities Chew Chor Meng and Zhou Chongqing in partnership with cousins Esmond and Ronnie, 888 Mookata—at the coffee shop in Blk 212 Hougang Street 21—is a new 2-week old Mookata restaurant and the latest addition to the Mookata scene in Singapore.

To top it off, service at this restaurant is exemplary which contributes to an enhanced dining experience.

Although the name of 888 Mookata may lead you to think of the famous Mookata restaurant of the same name in Bangkok, they are in no way affiliated.

Ordering is relatively straightforward at 888 Mookata as they only have 2 options on their main menu—Platter For 2 (S$26) and Platter For 4 (S$45).

For those still craving for more, you can look to 888 Mookata’s Add-on Menu for more options. Each a la carte dish will cost you S$1.80 or you could opt for their Mushroom Platter (S$6.80), Vege Platter (S$6.80) or Meat Platter (S$10.80).

We decided to go with the Platter For 4 (S$45) which consists of marinated meat, seafood, vegetables, an egg and more.

Although we weren’t blown away by the portions served, we appreciated that there was a wide variety of ingredients in the platter.

Before you begin your meal, do make sure that you first stir fry the pork lard provided as the oil will add another level of flavour to your food.

Although the broth may seem slightly underwhelming at the start, it will slowly become richer and more flavourful mid-way through your meal. One tip is to throw in the tiger prawn heads into the broth for a stronger and tastier soup.

During our visit, we were also informed by 888 Mookata’s staff that the restaurant is usually quite busy during dinner time. It is recommended that you make a reservation in advance. However, do note that reservations are not available during weekends and only on weekdays.

888 Mookata
212 Hougang Street 21
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 9656 2655
Daily: 5pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Kovan

Thai food is versatile, a myriad of flavours, and generally a whole lot of fun for chefs. And Rochor Thai’s Chef Owner Joel Ong—who lived a year in Thailand to learn about the Central Thai cuisine—was determined to bring the best of Thai dishes to Singapore.

While most Thai eateries and restaurants in Singapore serve more North-Eastern Thai fare, Rochor Thai specialises in Central Thai Cuisine—which is a lot more balanced, less salty and no less delicious—and it does not use any MSG at all.

Rochor Thai prides itself in its meticulous preparation and the use of fresh ingredients to ensure the authenticity of its food, with flavours found nowhere else in Singapore.

Making his mark in 2012 at Rochor Centre, Rochor Thai’s inception saw overwhelming success and has brought them to where they are today. Today, they are located at Novena Regency, with a more modern and swanky look. They have rocketed to the top of our list and is now among our favourite Thai restaurants.

From now until 15 March 2017, simply quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy 30% off your bill—valid from 6pm to 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays, except PHs.

THE BEST VARIETY OF AUTHENTIC TOM YUM SOUPS

Depending on your preference, Rochor Thai has a decent variety of tom yum soups for you to choose from. What we like about Rochor Thai is that they choose the best meats or seafood to go with each type of soup base. Some Thai restaurants confuse you with too many options, but Rochor Thai picks out the best combinations for you.

We had a taste of two different types of tom yum soups, Red Tom Yum Prawns (Tom Yum Goong, S$15) and Clear Tom Yum Super (S$15).

Some people prefer a milkier consistency, hence the former is an excellent choice, the soup is packed with generous amounts of fresh prawns and we really loved the spicy red soup base—just the right balance of sour and spicy, without burning our throats.

However, the Clear Tom Yum Super is actually their speciality and it comes with chicken wings and feet inside. But you have been warned—this soup is extremely spicy. Not for the faint-hearted!

REFRESHING SOM TUM KAI KEM – THAI PAPAYA SALAD

In every Thai restaurant, you need a good Som Tum or Papaya Salad. This Som Tum Kai Kem (S$12) hit all the right spots for us.

It was crunchy, refreshing and more importantly, the tamarind sauce really wowed us. It comes with salted egg, carrots, long beans, garlic, chillies, dried shrimp and peanuts.

BEAUTIFUL PAD THAI WITH SUCCULENT PRAWNS

Another classic Thai dish is the Pad Thai. The Pad Thai Rochor Thai (Pad Thai Song Krung, S$14) was impressive, to say the least. We liked that the noodles were not overly cooked; they were a little al dente, and the plate of noodles was sweet, flavourful and bursting with wok hei flavour on the whole. One of the best

CLASSIC VERMICELLI WITH BAKED PRAWNS

The Baked Prawns in Claypot (Goong Ob Woon Sen, S$19) is something you really have to try! Clear glass noodles are tossed in peppercorns, garlic and coriander; the dish exuded a distinct aroma.

THE BEST STIR-FRIED CABBAGE EVER

This is the most unassuming dish on the menu and before you skip it, you have to know that this is THE BEST STIR-FRIED CABBAGE EVER. So much so that we would eat an entire serving on its own with a bowl of steamed rice and we are satisfied.

The Cabbage with Fish Sauce (Kalum Pad Nampla, S$12) is a unique dish and it took Chef Joel 3 months to perfect it.

Sure, you might be skeptical, because it is ‘just veggies’. But it is almost unexplainable; the umami flavours become stronger with every bite. There is something about the combination of garlic and fish sauce tossed with crunchy and fresh cabbage.

TENDER, MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH GRILLED PORK

The Grilled Pork Collar (Kor Moo Yang, S$19)—Rochor Thai’s best-selling and signature dish—lived up to all the hype.

Marinated perfectly, the tender pork is grilled to a beautiful tenderness. When served, the pork collar slices are so almost melt-in-your-mouth. Eat them with a homemade Issan-style sauce.

Thai-style grilled pork has got to be one of our favourite ways of eating pork.

VALUE-FOR-MONEY WHOLE SEA BASS

If you are coming in a group of 3 or more, then you should really order the sea bass. We fell head over heels in love with the Orange Curry Fish Broth (Thai Assam, Gaeng Som Pla, S$32 Whole Fish 800 – 900g).

The fish is deep-fried whole, then orange curry broth is drizzled all over. The broth is spicy with a hint of sourness, but it paired up well with the crispy fish. The fish stayed nice and crispy even after awhile and for S$32, it is a steal!

FLAVOURFUL DRUNKARD’S PRAWNS

These prawns are aptly named Drunkard’s Prawns (Pad Kee Mao Goong, S$19).

According to Chef Owner Joel, they adapted an old Thai recipe based on a true incident. It was a rainy night when a drunk man was walking home after a night of drinking, and he stopped by a small street food stall for some supper. The dish was so spicy and flavourful that it jolted him up, hence the name.

POPULAR THAI SWEET TREAT – MANGO STICKY RICE

Lastly, we ended our amazing Thai meal with the best way we know how to—with Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niew Ma Muang, S$8).

The sticky rice was served to us warm and the rice was chewy with a nice al dente bite to it.

Apart from the typical Thai dishes such as Green Curry Chicken, Pad Thai, and Thai Basil Stir-fried Pork, Rochor Thai serves authentic Thai dishes that are strong-flavoured yet well-balanced. It is a lot more dimensional than the spicy and sour Thai food that most of us are familiar with.

Chef Owner Joel hopes that diners get to experience a true taste of Thailand—for a lack of a better phrase. The prices might be slightly higher than the usual Thai restaurants in Singapore, but what you get is quality Thai food that will transport you to the Land of Smiles.

Don’t take our words for it, make a trip to Rochor Thai and find out for yourself. Remember to quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy 30% off your bill—valid from 6pm to 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays, except PHs.

And the next time you are throwing a party for a special occasion, you will be keen to know that Rochor Thai also offers complimentary venue usage with a minimum spending on Food and Beverage, as well as catering for events. Their tea reception buffet starts from as low as S$9.80 per guest. You can see the buffet catering menus from Rochor Thai’s website.

Rochor Thai
275 Thomson Road
#01-03, Novena Regency
Singapore 307645
Tel: +65 8797 7080
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

This post is brought to you by Rochor Thai.

Many people head down to Golden Mile Complex—also known as Little Thailand in Singapore—to satisfy their Thai food cravings for that place is home to many eateries serving authentic Thai cuisine.

Golden Mile Tower, located just next to Golden Mile Complex, also has a few eateries that are worth checking out.

Beerthai House Restaurant is one of them. It offers a selection of affordable Thai main dishes, desserts and drinks.

The Pad Thai (S$7+) is served with generous portions of fried beancurd, prawns, beansprouts and spring onion. This aromatic stir-fried noodle dish is a good mixture of sweet and salty flavours and is a classic Thai favourite that we enjoyed very much.

Served boiling hot, Green Curry Chicken (S$12+) is rich and creamy and hit all the right notes for us.

We are saving the best for the last—Beerthai House Restaurant’s Tom Yum Soup (S$12+) was a favourite among all the dishes that we had tried. The soup was generously cooked with ingredients which included sliced fish, fish balls, mushrooms and prawns.

Other items on the menu you can look forward to are the Stir Fried Pork Garlic with Rice (S$7+), Pork Leg Rice (S$7+) and Thai Steam Boat (S$7+).

The eatery also offers Assorted Thai Cakes, Sweet Tapioca, Red Ruby and Mango with Sticky Rice for desserts.

BeerThai House Restaurant
6001 Beach Road
#01-50/51 Golden Mile Tower
Singapore 199589
Tel: +65 6297 7644 / 9823 6997
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

Thai Tantric at Orchard Towers is our all-time favourite Thai eatery in Singapore. There, we’ve said it. Thai Tantric is not the most fancy restaurant, nor is it a place where we would recommend for a date night.

But what makes this no-frills eatery a place you can return to regularly is its authentic Thai food at super reasonable prices. And that is precisely why it remains popular all these years.

Despite its sleazy location in Orchard Towers, Thai Tantric is perpetually packed. People who work in the vicinity seek solace in the comfort food, while people like us would travel just for a reliable Thai meal.

The prices here may appear to be slightly more – S$6 for rice and noodle dishes, and S$10 for meat and seafood – than other Thai eateries in Singapore, but the bigger portions more than make up for it.

Whatever it is, if you haven’t been, it is time to head down.

You can’t beat the Green Curry Chicken (S$10) at Thai Tantric. We’ve had it on numerous occasions, and they were always thick and flavourful, with generous chunks of chicken.

Need your soup? Yes, you shall have it. The Tom Yum Seafood (S$10) is consistently good. But if your tolerance for spicy food is low, this might be a bit too fiery for your liking. We loved it though, that it was always milky and kickass with strong hints of lemongrass.

The Steamed Seabass in Thai Sauce (market price, we paid S$35) is such a star that this on its own is worth a visit. It may not exactly be affordable, but it is worth every penny. Fresh white-flesh fish that is soaked in a spicy and tangy sauce; totally hits all the right spots.

You can come here for a simple lunch and get a one-dish meal and a glass of Thai iced tea, or gather a group of friends and order many Thai classic dishes to share. That’s what we like to do – party over a table full of Thai dishes!

Something that you should avoid when in Thai Tantric is the Pad Thai (S$6). You might think that a Thai eatery won’t get this classic dish wrong, but we tried it twice and it was completely unimpressive. Don’t waste your money and calories.

The Pineapple Fried Rice with Floss, on the other hand, was much better than expected. We’d choose this over the Pad Thai anytime.

Just a word of caution: Orchard Towers is probably not the safest place for girls to visit alone. So make sure you have a guy among your company, or just go with a big group of friends.

Thai Tantric
#03-23 Towers, 400 Orchard Road
Singapore 238875
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Sun & PH: 3pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Good news to all regulars of ThaiExpress – The Orange Member Card is finally making an official comeback! From cash rebates, birthday benefits to dining vouchers, ThaiExpress’ Orange Member Card is one card that all frequent diners should possess.

Being the world’s largest chain of modern Thai restaurants with a current territory of 25 ThaiExpress, Kaffir & Lime and Basil outlets across Singapore, ThaiExpress – the award-winning household brand – is celebrating its 13th birthday and they are giving away luxurious holiday packages to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai Bangkok to show their appreciation to patrons. And three Orange Member Card holders (who activate their cards by 14 December) will be selected at random and you could be the lucky one.

But wow, thirteen years of yummy food it has been!

Yet another reason to sign up for the ThaiExpress’ Orange Member Card; you might just walk away with unbelievably amazing travel prizes such as return business class tickets on Thai Airways for two pax and an all-inclusive trip to Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort Chiang Rai.

Here are the perks of The Orange Member Card, and a toast to many more thirteen years of Soft-shelled Crab Curry Rice and Tomyum Glass Noodles with ThaiExpress!

Regulars to ThaiExpress would be familiar with its signature dishes such as Massaman Curry, Phat Thai Talay, and Prawn Toast. To celebrate its 13th anniversary, ThaiExpress launches 5 new dishes to add to their repertoire, and they include Chicken Thigh in Curry Pasta with Fried Noodle, Crispy Fish Flakes with Shredded Mango, Seafood Chilli Paste Fried Rice, Prawn Cake Donuts, and Coconut Pancakes with Coconut Ice Cream.

For those who have not heard of the Orange Card, do not let the idea of paying S$15 for an annual membership put you off. ThaiExpress’ Orange Member Card is actually a worthy investment as The Orange Member Card holders are instantly entitled to more than S$30 worth of Thai food.

On your first month of card activation, enjoy a complimentary side dish of Tofu Square, main course of Signature Basil Chicken/ Tofu Jasmine Rice and a Lemongrass Drink. Think about it – you are actually paying half the price for S$30 worth of food, and more dining privileges and counting.

The Orange Member Card boasts a value-for-money privilege aka its 5% cash rebates, where members can get back 5% from their total food bill. And guess what? This benefit is applicable for takeaways too.

For instance, the total bill for a dinner is S$100 (excluding service charges and prevailing taxes). Orange Member Card holders gets a S$5 “credit” in their card, and that can be deducted from the next expenditure at any restaurants (ThaiExpress, Kaffir & Lime, and Basil by ThaiExpress) across Singapore.

The Orange Member Card Holders also get to enjoy a Pandan Tapioca dessert on the house upon presenting the cardholders’ identification card(s) during their birthday month. More members’ specials will also be introduced in 2016; you see, they keep tempting you with all these perks, it is impossible to not own one!

How awesome does a free holiday sound?

Customers who activate their Orange Member Cards before 14 December 2015 also stand a chance to win exciting travel prizes (inclusive of return air tickets) to Thailand. This is the part that all of you are waiting for, yes?

The prizes include all-inclusive holiday packages to Chiang Rai and Bangkok.

The first prize comprises a pair of return Thai Airways tickets on economy class, and an all-inclusive trip to Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort Chiang Rai. This handsome grand prize is valued at more than S$6,000!

Similarly, the second prize – with an estimated value of more than S$4,000 – includes a pair of return Thai Airway tickets on business class and a hotel package at 5-star Anantara Chiang Mai. You and a loved one might just be the lucky ones to whisk off to Thailand for free!

The third prize is not too shabby too, where the lucky winner gets to enjoy over S$2,000 worth of travel goodies – return tickets on Thai Airways’ economy class for two pax, a 2-night stay at Bangkok’s Amari Watergate Hotel that includes hotel breakfast; even airport transfers are covered!

Only members aged 18 and above are eligible for this lucky draw and other terms and conditions apply.

When purchasing The Orange Member Card, quote ‘Ladyironchef Orange Card’ to receive additional beverage vouchers. This offer is only valid till 13 December 2015 and is available to all our lovely readers.

Do note that The Orange Member Card’s membership is on an annual basis but you can renew your expired membership card at just S$10 instead of S$15 to continue reaping the exclusive benefits.

This post is brought to you by ThaiExpress.

Step into a myriad of aromatic smells and a cornucopia of flavours with Bar Bar Black Sheep, a multi-concept bar and restaurant along Tanjong Katong Road.

Set in a coffee shop-like setting with a casual dining vibe, Bar Bar Black Sheep is the perfect place to watch your favourite sports and enjoy cheap beers and food, with no GST and service charge. And did we mention that weekday set lunches are available at S$11 Nett?

Moreover, you need not worry if your buddies are indecisive about what food to eat that day as you can have a variety of dishes from three different cuisine types – Thai, North Indian and Italian food! If you have a hankering for pizza but your friend insists on Phad Thai, settle your disagreement with a trip down to Bar Bar Black Sheep, conveniently located along Tanjong Katong Road.

Here are 10 dishes from Bar Bar Black Sheep at Tanjong Katong you must try!

#1 AGLIO OLIO MUSHROOM SPAGHETTI

Tossed in olive oil, chilli and garlic, we loved how Bar Bar Black Sheep’s Mushroom Aglio Olio (S$13) was simple yet delicious. The mushrooms added a nice touch to enhance the flavours of the pasta.

This is a good option if you’re a vegetarian or if you have a friend who’s one. Bar Bar Black Sheep also has a non-vegetarian version of this dish where they add tiger prawns into the mix – Chilli Prawn Spaghetti (S$15), perfect for seafood lovers.

#2 BUTTER CHICKEN

Butter Chicken has been a favourite among North Indian food lovers for the longest time. Bar Bar Black Sheep sets the bar high with their highly addictive Butter Chicken (S$11) curry that is best eaten with naan or white rice.

The intense burst of flavours will hit you the second you consume it and you will keep going for more! Bar Bar Black Sheep has a range of naan flavours from Garlic to even Cheese, so you can have a mix of different naan to dip into this wonderful curry.

#3 CRISPY BUFFALO WINGS

From the Italian/Western side, a must try starter or bar grub is none other than the classic Crispy Buffalo Wings (S$9). Besides just Buffalo Wings, Bar Bar Black Sheep also offers other selections such as Moroccan Wings and Chilli Lime Wings (both S$9 each).

From the classic Margherita, to Hawaiian, and local favourites such as Rendang Spicy Minced Beef Pizza, you can find a selection of 12 inch pizzas (S$14 to S$18) on the menu.

#4 FISH TIKKA

Of all of their grilled seafood and meats, we were pleasantly surprised by the Fish Tikka. Marinated with yogurt and spices and grilled, the fish inside remained tender and did not dry out.

However, the outer layer caught out attention with the crisp texture and the spirited burst of flavours from the spices used. A mint onion dip will be served on the side and we love how the sauce added more aggressive flavouring to the fish, which makes it a perfect pairing to white rice.

#5 GREEN CURRY

Thai curries can be a stark contrast from others such as local curries and Indian curries. What most people love about the Thai Green Curry (S$11.90) at Bar Bar Black Sheep is the aromatic smell of coconut milk, mixed in with spices and seasonings such as green chilli and fish sauce.

Choose between Chicken, Beef or Pork with your curry and have it drizzled all over a plate of rice for ultimate satisfaction.

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#6 MANGO STICKY RICE

As the most popular Thai dessert Singaporeans love, we were glad to find out that the mango served at Bar Bar Black Sheep is deliciously sweet. Portioned nicely with the sticky rice, skip the hassle of messily portioning out the mango and rice yourself.

The Mango Sticky Rice (S$6.90) is a good choice to end off your meal on a sweet note. If you prefer puddings, the Mango Pudding with Nata De Coco (S$4.90) is the one for you!

#7 PHAD THAI

It is not easy to find a good plate of Phad Thai in Singapore but we thank our lucky stars that the Phad Thai (S$12.90) at Bar Bar Black Sheep is extremely delectable.

Choose between Chicken, Beef, Pork or Seafood (+S$1 for seafood) and taste the delicious wok hei of the noodles. The added lime offers a nice hint of zest, adding on to the multitude of flavours of this dish.

#8 STRIPLOIN STEAK

If you are up for a hearty meal of meats, look no further than the Western side’s selection of grilled meats. The Striploin Steak (S$19) can be cooked to your desired doneness and the steak itself is slathered in delicious black pepper sauce.

Each order comes with a side of mesclun salad and fries. If you prefer other cuts of beef, Bar Bar Black Sheep also has a Rib Eye Steak (S$19) that comes with the same sauces and sides!

#9 TANDOORI CHICKEN

It was hard to find fault with the Tandoori Chicken (S$22, whole) at Bar Bar Black Sheep as we were greeted with throng of mouth-watering flavours that left us wanting more. The tandoori grilled meats at Bar Bar Black Sheep is not surprisingly, one of the best-selling items there.

For a hearty meal, go right for the Tandoori Platter (S$20) which consists of prawn, fish and chicken tikka with either chicken or mutton kebab. All of these meats and seafood will go perfectly with a bowl of curry and white rice or naan.

#10 THAI SAUCE CHICKEN RICE

A large piece of chicken thigh deep-fried to a perfect ‘juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside’ doneness, served with a side of rice. The chicken is topped off with a tangy sweet and sour Thai sauce that adds a nice heat and flavour to the chicken.

The Thai Sauce Chicken Rice (S$14.90) is just one of the many other rice options you can pick from from the Thai food section. Other selections include Pattaya Fried Rice (S$12.90) and Olive Rice (S$13.90).

Brighten up your Mondays with some draught beer with a 1 for 1 promotion every Monday from 5pm to 7pm. From Monday to Thursday, get a bucket of 5 Corona or Somersby for only S$45.

Grab a bottle of your favourite hard liquors – XO, Johnny Walker Blue, Strathisla, Scapa or Longmorn at 30% off  until 9 August 2015.

Bar Bar Black Sheep
362 Tanjong Katong Road
Tel: +65 6348 8275
Mon to Fri: 11am – 12midnight
Sat & Sun: 11am – 1am
Website: www.bbbs.com.sg

This post is brought to you by Bar Bar Black Sheep.

We are excited to be sharing ThaiExpress’ new dishes. To celebrate the annual Songkran – otherwise known as Thailand’s water festival – ThaiExpress will be launching a Songkran menu (available from 9 Mar to 19 Apr 2015) which features four tantalising dishes, and that’s not all.

To kickstart the celebration and to get you more excited, in the month of March, you get to dine and receive free mini water pistols, and a lucky pair will win a trip to Bangkok and Koh Samui – with a pair of return Business Class tickets - to experience the Songkran festival itself, and to celebrate the Thai New Year with the locals.

We are always enthralled by the idea of Thai food and a holiday at Thailand, and we believe we are speaking for most Singaporeans when we say the Thai food and culture is something so familiar and close to our hearts.

Time to revisit ThaiExpress and to try the four new dishes. If you are fans of salted egg-anything like we are, then the star has to be Thai-style Salted Egg Calamari. Coated with batter and deep fried, then lavishly covered with the chef’s homemade Thai-style salted egg sauce with basil. There is also the Songkran Wings, and Papaya Salad. Spicy, tangy, sour “som tum” always pleases, yes? As for the main, there is the Phuket Bee Hoon with Tiger Prawns. Oh yes, we love a good Thai-style noodle dish.

ThaiExpress is partnering Bangkok Airways and Tourism Authority of Thailand to give away a grand prize – a pair of return Business Class Bangkok Airway tickets to Bangkok and Koh Samui (from 10 to 14 Apr 2015)! It also comes with 5-star accommodation with Anantara, breakfasts and airport transfers.

Simply spend a minimum of S$50 (before GST and service charge) to receive a free mini water gun and a unique code to enter the lucky draw for the grand prize. The unique codes will be given out till 29th March and the winner will be announced on ThaiExpress’ Facebook page on 1st April 2015. Visit www.thaiexpress.com.sg to find out more.

Also, you can stand a chance to win S$100 ThaiExpress’s dining vouchers by posing and taking photos with “trick-eye” museum-like standees that are placed in front of ThaiExpress’s outlets. Upload your photo on Instagram with the hashtags #thaiexpresssg and #songkranthaiexpress – the three most creative photos will win the vouchers.

This post is brought to you by ThaiExpress Singapore.

The number one Thai casual dining chain restaurant in Singapore, ThaiExpress is a household name for many of us, and we grew up with the restaurant’s friendly and affordable fare.

For regulars, there is something to look forward to this Chinese New Year 2015 – ThaiExpress is introducing its first-ever Thai-Style Soft Shell Crab Lo Hei!

Lo Hei is one of the things that we always look forward to every Chinese New Year, and it is almost synonymous with the Chinese festival. Instead of the ubiquitous salmon yusheng, ThaiExpress‘s Thai-style Soft Shell Crab Lo Hei is inspired by one of its signature dishes – “Poo Phat Pong Kari” – which means Rice with Soft Shell Crab, Egg and Onion Curry. Yes, all ThaiExpress fans are excited already, we know.

Priced at S$22.80++, the Lo Hei comes with two Soft Shell Crabs, Shredded Red and Green Capsicums, White Radish, Carrots, Cucumber, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Rice Crackers, Lime and Green Mango and is drizzled with Mango Sauce. By the way, the rice crackers are homemade and baked by the team of chefs who are true to their Thai roots and want to pay homage to a traditional snack that they grew up eating.

The dish is good for 2 to 4 people to “Lo”, and there is a step-by-step guide to introduce you to the Thai-Style Lo Hei. Also, every order of the Soft Shell Crab Lo Hei will give you a customised ThaiExpress’s red packet.

ThaiExpress’s Thai-style Soft Shell Crab Lo Hei is available at all ThaiExpress outlets from 1st February to 5th March 2015, the 15th day of the Lunar New Year. With so many outlets across the island, there is no reason to give this a miss. Besides, how often do you get to toss soft shell crabs, right?

For the latest updates, go to ThaiExpress.com.sg, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

This post is brought to you by ThaiExpress Singapore.

Quite contrary to “popular beliefs”, ThaiExpress is not a fast food chain. It is a restaurant chain, yes, but its casual dining style is what makes the household brand so popular and affordable. With more than 20 outlets island-wide, ThaiExpress is the number one Thai casual dining chain restaurant in Singapore.

The chefs here take their Thai food very seriously, and the kitchen is kept busy all day through because every item that is served on the table is prepared in-house with fresh ingredients and homemade sauces – cooked to order in each kitchen daily.

Sticking true to the Thai culture and taste preferences, ThaiExpress offers an expansive menu of appetisers, soups, mains, one-dish meals and desserts. There is always something to eat and to satisfy every craving. You’d be happy to know that the price tags are superbly friendly, too; think home-style cooking in an air-conditioned and casual environment.

We will also be sharing the Sanook set lunches that are so value-for-money, they make just the perfect lunch option when you need something hearty. And of course, evergreen dishes that never go out of style, and the bestsellers of ThaiExpress.

The standout dish – and something that you must order when dining at ThaiExpress - is the Massaman Curry. There are debates about the origins of the dish, but what we can say for sure is that it is an immensely satisfying and incredibly rich Thai-style curry that is great with a bowl of rice, or Thai-style pancakes.

At ThaiExpress, the Massaman Curry is painstakingly made from scratch with more than 20 ingredients and spices, and it takes the chefs 12 hours to prepare it! So much thoughts go into every pot of curry, and the sheer amount of ingredients may sound complicated, but what you get is a bowl of flavourful and smooth curry that is mildly spicy and superbly gratifying. There are two variations – Massaman Chicken Curry (S$13.90) and Massaman Beef Curry (S$14.60); both come with Thai-style pancakes which are perfect to mop up the curry.

With so many appetising starters on ThaiExpress‘s menu, you will be hard-pressed to decide on what to order. We have this problem too, but there are items that we return to and can never get bored of. For one, you cannot go wrong with their Thai Mango Salad (S$8.90). A very quintessential Thai appetizer, this spicy one will whet your appetite. Our all-time favourite? The Prawn Toast (S$8.90). We’ve had it for many years, and its recent improved version features a sesame crust that adds a layer of fragrance. Warning: highly addictive.

Most Thai restaurants in Singapore tend to tone down the spiciness to please local palates, but this is not the case at ThaiExpress. The Tom Yum Talay (S$8.30) – better known as the clear tom yum soup – is kick-ass spicy and tastes exactly like the ones that we’ve had in Thailand. A variation that also pleases the crowd is the Tom Kha Gai (S$8.30) – chicken soup with coconut milk. Rich and sweet, just the way we like it.

Phat Thai is our utmost favourite Thai dish and we are glad to say that ThaiExpress’s Phat Thai Talay (S$12.90) is always consistently good no matter which outlet we go to. That is another amazing part about ThaiExpress. Every outlet has their own kitchen with different chefs, but they can maintain its high standards – every plate of Phat Thai is beautifully sweet and well-fried, complete with plump prawns and a generous dash of ground peanuts.

For rice lovers, ThaiExpress has the classic dishes such as Pineapple Fried Rice with Seafood (S$11.90), and our favourite Rice with Stir-fried Spicy Minced Chicken with Thai Basil (S$12.90), but the one that is not to be missed is its Rice with Soft Shell Crab, Egg and Onion Curry (S$12.90). Yes, the price tag is unbelievable. And for that price, you get whole soft shell crabs copiously covered in egg-y curry.

Among the dessert choices, the best-sellers are the Mango Sticky Rice (S$6.80) and the Thai Chendol (S$6.80) – a wonderful blend of jackfruit slices, chewy flour bits, coconut milk and Thai palm sugar.

VALUE-FOR-MONEY SANOOK SETS

To celebrate the New Year, ThaiExpress has launched 3 brand new Sanook Sets which are priced not more than S$10.90++. Our favourite is the Sweet Chilli Fish Set (S$9.90++) which comes with Jasmine rice, Tom Kha Mushroom Soup, and Sweet Potato with Ginger Slice Dessert.

If you need your poultry, then go for the Honey Chicken Set (S$9.90). It features some very succulent chicken that is well-marinated, with fragrant rice and Tom Kha Mushroom Soup. Yes, a serving of the same dessert, too.

For something lighter, we have the Thai Chicken Glass Noodle Soup (S$10.90++). Cooked in a thick chicken broth and topped with shredded roast chicken, this is one satisfying bowl, especially on a rainy day. As part of the set, you also get the Mini Prawn Toasts (3 pcs) and Red Bean Dessert.

There is an optional add-on of S$2 for Thai Iced Tea/Iced Lemon Tea, or additional starter of Mini Prawn Toasts (3 pcs)/ Rice Crackers with Chef’s Special Dip. The next time you want an affordable yet satisfying lunch, drop by ThaiExpress for their Sanook sets. You might have just found your perfect lunch answer.

But of course, we say do not miss out on adding on for more Prawn Toasts. ThaiExpress’ Prawn Toast all day, every day.

For the latest updates, go to ThaiExpress.com.sg, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

This post is brought to you by ThaiExpress Singapore.

Thai food fans, HANDS UP! Let us all celebrate our love for spicy and fiery flavours. Thai Food is always and forever food for the soul, and a good Thai meal does wonders. Expect nothing short of a spectrum of contrasting flavours that tickle our taste buds – sweet, sour, spicy, very spicy, and very very spicy.

Heck, even the spiciness levels have different kicks to it, and we are definitely loving it! Bring us all the Phad Thai, Tom Yum and Green Curry please.

Thai food need not be expensive. In fact, they are supposed to be economical, and the idea is to order a whole table of dishes for communal enjoyment.

Here, we share with you 11 Affordable Thai Restaurants in Singapore:

AROY DEE THAI KITCHEN

Aroy Dee Thai Kitchen used to be at Sunshine Plaza but it has since moved to a new shop diagonally across on Middle Road.

The Steamed Seabass in Thai Sauce (S$28) is pretty decent, but we prefer the one from Thai Tantric (read #10 below).

You can get the classic Thai dishes such as Green Curry Chicken (S$10) Tom Yum Talay (S$10), Som Tum (S$7). But the Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken Floss (S$6.50) is a must-order dish here.

262 Middle Road
Tel: +65 6336 8852
Daily: 11.30am – 6am
Nearest Station: Bugis

BEERTHAI HOUSE RESTAURANT

Beerthai House Restaurant at Golden Mile Tower offers a selection of affordable Thai main dishes, desserts and drinks. Beerthai House Restaurant’s Tom Yum Soup (S$12+) was a favourite among all the dishes that we had tried.

Other items on the menu you can look forward to are the Stir Fried Pork Garlic with Rice (S$7+), Pork Leg Rice (S$7+) and Thai Steam Boat (S$7+).

6001 Beach Road
#01-50/51 Golden Mile Tower
Singapore 199589
Tel: +65 6297 7644 / 9823 6997
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

DIANDIN LELUK THAI RESTAURANT

No lack of Thai food options when you are at Golden Mile Complex – aka Little Thailand in Singapore – but the all-time gold is Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant. Its menu is comprehensive and nothing is overly expensive. You may take a while to decide on what to order, but let’s just say you need to have their Phad Thai (S$4) and Thai Mango Salad (S$6).

5001 Beach Road
#01-67/68/69 Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6293 5101
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Lavender

FIRST THAI RESTAURANT

First Thai restaurant is an old steward that sits on Purvis Street. It is one of the more well-known no-frills Thai Restaurants, and the Tom Yum Seafood (S$7) is a must-order. Nothing else in particular stood out though, but you can consider their Olive Fried Rice (S$8) and Fried Prawn Cake (S$3/pc).

23 Purvis Street
Tel: +65 6339 3123
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

JAI THAI

A neighbour to First Thai – and a better one at that – Jai Thai is a perennial favourite whenever we find ourselves at Bugis. Cheap and good sounds overrated, but it describes exactly every dining experience at Jai Thai. They fry one of the better Phad Thais in town, and at S$5, you get a generous serving that comes complete with prawns.

Jai Thai is listed in our guide to Singapore’s top 10 inexpensive restaurants.

27 Purvis Street
#01-01 An Chuan Building
Tel: +65 6336 6908
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis/City Hall

JANE THAI RESTAURANT

Orchard Towers is definitely not the best place to step in to, but if any, we would go there for Jane Thai. Sleazy as the building may be, any time is a good time for Thai food here. They serve a comprehensive selection of Thai food and you can find anything from Thai Salads (S$8 – S$12), Curries (S$10), Seafood (S$12 – S$18), and Meats (S$8 – S$10).

Jane Thai is listed in our guide to Singapore’s Top 10 budget restaurants in Singapore.

41 East Coast Road
Singapore 428761
Tel: +65 6966 5197
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Eunos

NAKHON KITCHEN

This is undoubtably a hot favourite. Nakhon Kitchen sees long queues every single day, and it is no surprise because they are known for dishing out very authentic Thai food at pocket-friendly prices. Our picks include the Thai Style Fried Kway Teow (S$4), Stir-Fried Mince Pork with Basil ($6) and Green Curry ($8) – one of the better renditions in town.

Nakhon Kitchen is listed in our guide to Singapore’s Top 10 budget restaurants in Singapore.

Blk 212 Hougang Street 21 #01-341
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6286 8785
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

NANA THAI RESTAURANT

Fuss-free, with a large selection of authentic and delicious Thai food at humbly prices, Nana Thai Restaurant is one of of our favourite Thai eateries at Golden Mile Complex. Basil Minced Pork with Rice (S$6), but you cannot leave without having the Tom Yum Seafood (S$15)

5001 Beach Road
#01-51/52/66C Golden Mile Complex
Tel: +65 6297 8498
Daily: 24 Hours
Nearest Station: Lavender

THAIEXPRESS

Quite contrary to “popular beliefs”, ThaiExpress is not a fast food chain. It is a restaurant chain, yes, but its casual dining style is what makes the household brand so popular and affordable.

The chefs here take their Thai food very seriously, and the kitchen is kept busy all day through because every item that is served on the table is prepared in-house with fresh ingredients and homemade sauces – cooked to order in each kitchen daily.

ThaiExpress has launched 3 brand new Sanook Sets which are priced not more than S$10.90++. Our favourite is the Sweet Chilli Fish Set (S$9.90++) which comes with Jasmine rice, Tom Kha Mushroom Soup, and Sweet Potato with Ginger Slice Dessert.

68 Orchard Road
#03-24 Plaza Singapura
Tel: +65 6339 5442
Daily: 11am to 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut

THAI TANTRIC

Another Thai eatery that is worth checking out at Orchard Towers is Thai Tantric. Prices range from S$6 to S$10, and some of the items that you should try – other than the usual classic Thai dishes – include Thai Fried Rice (S$6), Deep-fried Pork with Garlic & Pepper (S$10), and Deep-fried Chicken Wings with Honey (S$10).

400 Orchard Road
#03-23 Orchard Towers
Tel: +65 9035 4499
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Sun & PH: 3pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

THAI GOLD FOOD

A popular haunt at Sunshine Plaza, Thai Gold Food offers simple and satisfying Thai food at extremely reasonable prices. From Mango Salad, to Tom Yum, Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice, everything at this small and slightly run-down Thai eatery is cooked just right.

91 Bencoolen Street
#01-14/22 Sunshine Plaza
Tel: +65 9014 3218
Sun to Thu: 12pm – 1am
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 3am
Nearest Station: Bugis