I’ve been waiting a long while to say this: I’m finally going to Bangkok! By this time tomorrow I would be having a nice sumptuous dinner in the Land of Smiles, followed by some cheap drinks at a pub. This is a city I’m very fond of. It’s where I chose to make my first solo trip back in ’04. And now, no amount of chaos or riots would turn me off.

That’s why my last food review before the trip is reserved for Lerk Thai, my favourite Thai restaurant in Singapore. I think it’s rather fitting!

We have dinner at Lerk Thai almost every week and the few staples we would order are the fried kang kong with ever awesome belachan and the red curry chicken. But sometimes we do enjoy trying out a couple of new dishes, such as this deep fried fish.

Pla Naam Tok (deep fried fish fillet)
S$8.50++
Rating:

I like having something interesting to look at when I’m eating. So when a dish is beautifully presented or colourful, it’s already won me over. That’s why I love the colourful Mexican cuisine! It works the same way for this dish of deep fried fish fillet with Thai herbs, lime and chilli. But not only is it a kaleidoscope of colours, it’s a multitude of flavours too!

First of all, the fish is crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. It does not, thankfully, reek of that awful fishy stench, probably due to the robust sour sauce it is drenched in. Spice lovers would like this one — it is very hot! A dish that is spicy and sour like this really peps one up!

Gai Phad Bai Gra Phao (fried minced chicken with basil)
S$9++
Rating:

One dish that we have tried out recently and immediately promoted its status to a must-order is the fried minced chicken with basil leaves. Again, this is a dish that really tantalises the taste buds with a nice salty and highly addictive taste. It goes extremely well with white rice. Plus, it’s VERY fragrant. We always have to fight to finish the last bits of the chicken!

Gaeng Ped Whan Gai (red curry chicken)
S$9++
Rating:

And that’s the aforementioned red curry chicken. It’s here because it’s one spectacular curry dish that deserves a mention and a photo whenever the opportunity strikes. The curry is a delightful sweet flavour and makes you wanna drink it all up. That reminds me: I must try out the curries in Thailand during this trip!

With that, I’m off on my week-long trip to Thailand. I can’t wait to embark on this adventure to the Land of Smiles (once more)!

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The Lerk Thai restaurant that I patronised was the branch at the new Changi Airport T3. Its smooth wooden facade sports a very zen look, meshing in well with the sleek and distinctive design of T3. White light glows warmly above and below the red, orange and green signage, creating a very nice ambience. And yes, T3 is the place where I spotted those beautiful glass panels.

Here are the dishes we ordered, including a couple of really awesome ones. Careful, it’s really hot stuff!

Fried prawn with red thick chilli sauce and fresh green pepper
S$12++
Rating:

As indicated by the red round icon, the spicy fried prawn dish is part of the Singapore Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Dining Program. This means that it is cooked in a healthier way with less oil, salt and sugar. Wouldn’t that make it plain and yucky, the way healthful food tend to be?

Not at all! This is easily the best dish on the table, with that thick and delicious chilli gravy. It does get unbearably spicy, hence the double chilli rating. Yet I couldn’t help slurping it all down by the spoonful because it’s just so addictive! Get ready loads of tissue paper before digging in. Spice lovers would totally fall in love with this dish!

Deep fried beancurd with sweet & spicy sauce
S$6++
Rating:

The deep fried beancurd looks really hot at first sight, drenched in all that sweet and spicy Thai chilli sauce that most of us are familiar with. But it’s actually not that spicy. The portion is rather ample and filling. So if you are thinking of sampling many dishes, you may want to leave this one out.

Fried Kang Kong with Belachan
S$6++
Rating:

For some greens, there’s the ever-popular fried kang kong with belachan. It’s pretty decent, and is one of the recommended items at the restaurant.

Deep fried crabmeat and minced chicken wrapped in beancurd skin
S$7.50++
Rating:

Deep fried crabmeat and minced chicken balls. On paper, this sounds really appetising and is what attracted me to order it in the first place. Unfortunately, that’s where the good ends. Despite being another recommended item, the dish is just very bland. The sour chilli sauce that comes along doesn’t do much for it. I can’t exactly taste the crabmeat too.

Gaeng Ped Whan Gai (red curry chicken)
S$9++
Rating:

Of course, a meal with me wouldn’t be complete without chicken, would it? Like the chilli prawn, the red curry chicken is also a dish worth returning for. One thing to note is that this isn’t anything like the conventional chicken curry that is popular among Singaporeans. For one, the chicken comes in the form of boneless slices, saving you the hassle of getting rid of the bones.

Also, the curry actually tastes sweet! This is probably the most unique curry I’ve ever had! Most people should find the spice level comfortable, and I would strongly recommend it for every table. Yup, that’s how much I like this!

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While Macanese cuisine does sound exotic, it is actually quite similar to Hong Kong cuisine, due to the close proximity between the two cities. During my ’05 trip to Hong Kong, I made a quick stop at the neighbouring Macau. Back then, Macanese food didn’t exactly seem that unique to me. Rather, it was the beautiful architecture that made a lasting impression.

At Macau Express, I was pleasantly surprised to see the colourful wall murals depicting the street buildings in Macau. Towards the right-hand side is the old ruins of St. Paul’s, a famous Macanese historic landmark. All this, along with a quick write-up of its history, offers diners a quick glance of Macau without having to physically be there!

As Macau used to be a Portuguese colony, remnants of the Portuguese influence can still be seen in its architecture today. Hints of it appear in the food as well.

Baked Half Chicken (with Spaghetti)
S$7.90
Rating:

That probably explains why the house specialty item at Macau Express is the baked half chicken, prepared Portuguese style and served in a thick pepper gravy. The chicken flesh is particularly moist and tender, going extremely well with a combination of the gravy and chilli sauce. How tasty! You can choose to have it with either rice, spaghetti or bread.

Baked Fish Fillet Spaghetti
S$7.90
Rating:

On the other hand, the baked fish fillet spaghetti leans towards the bland side. It would probably appeal to those with milder palates, though something as mild as this totally does not appeal to me; it’s practically tasteless!

Besides these dishes, there are also a range of standard Hong Kong fares available such as yuan yang and thick toast. I’m a little curious about the Macau steamed milk too. They have it both plain and ginger-flavoured. I didn’t get to try it so if anyone knows what it’s like, do share with us!

For Singaporeans looking for affordable food and fuss-free dining, they would probably like it at Macau Express. Just don’t go in there expecting good service (there is no service charge); you have to queue up to order and pay for your food, and then wait for it to be served. When I asked for a refund after realising I had been charged for something I didn’t order, the waitresses were rude and grouchy, even trying to pin the fault on me (!!!).

This is a place worth checking out only if you happen to be at the expo. But I certainly wouldn’t be jumping up and down to make a special trip there just for it. Well, not just yet anyway.

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]]> 10 http://sparklette.net/food/lerk-thai/ http://sparklette.net/food/lerk-thai/#comments Fri, 12 May 2006 05:22:18 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/wordpress/?p=377 I was craving for Thai food just the other day, and managed to get my fix at Lerk Thai. Out of all the Thai restaurants I have eaten at, Lerk Thai seems to serve the most delicious food!

Thai Coffee
S$2++
Rating:

Had me a cup of Thai coffee, which was a-okay. In my opinion, the best coffee is still the ones sold at neighbourhood kopi tiam (coffee shop).

Fish Fillet with Special Exotic Thai Sauce
S$6.80++
Rating:

For the main course, I had the pla yang sod rab manow (pacific dory fish fillet) pan-fried in a special exotic Thai sauce. I had picked up some basic Thai language before, so I do know that pla means fish, but that’s the furthest I can get.

The dish came along with a very sour sauce. The fish itself wasn’t good. It was a little stiff, dry and possibly over-fried. Even the secret recipe sauce couldn’t save it.

Pineapple rice
S$4.80++
Rating:

The pineapple rice was darn good though! It came with egg, prawn, and pork floss! It was superb, especially with the floss.

Currently there are three branches of Lerk Thai on the island. I have provided the details of the Bugis village branch, which was the one I dined at.

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