Thai Paradise @ Clementi Ave 5 - New Thai Eatery In The West To Spice Up Your Meal

Thai Paradise is a new Thai eatery located at Clementi Ave 5 near the Clementi police station. Though it has limited seats, the standalone eatery offers an extensive menu ranging from one meal dishes to cooked dishes for a family meal.

Basil Pork with Rice & Egg 4/5

As we were at Thai Paradise for lunch, we ordered the one meal dishes accompanied by several side items. First is the Basil Pork with Rice & Egg ($6.50). The pricing is very reasonable, with a decent portion for a meal dish. The flavours for the basil pork are on the spot, which goes very well with the steamed rice. I only hope that it can be spicier.

Beef Noodle 4/5

If you prefer noodles over rice, the Beef Noodle ($5.90) is a delicious consideration. The beef noodle comes in a robust and thick broth, accompanied by beef slices, beansprouts and beef balls. I usually add a bit of Thai chilli flakes to give it some extra kick, boosting the enjoyment.

Grilled Pork Cheek 3/5

Next, we have the Grilled Pork Cheek ($12), which looks like boiled pork instead of being grilled. It's tender and clean tasting. Best to have it with the accompanying Thai chilli sauce. However, I prefer it to be more grilled and charred for that smoky aroma.

Tom Yum Milk Red 4/5

You can go for either the clear or red for tom yum soup. I decided to go for the Tom Yum Milk Red ($7/$12/$18), creamy, spicy and brimming with seafood.

Pandan Chicken 4.5/5

A must-try is the Pandan Chicken ($8.90 for 4pc). The chicken is deep-fried to crispy on the outside yet tender and juicy inside. It even comes with a beautiful pandan and lemongrass aroma.

Mango Sticky Rice 4.2/5

Red Ruby 4.2/5

We had the Mango Sticky Rice ($5.90) and Red Ruby ($4), Wrapping up our lunch. These desserts are legit, using the freshest ingredients. They are not to be missed to complete a satisfying meal at Thai Paradise.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Thai Paradise
Blk 378 Clementi Ave 5
#01-338
Singapore 120378
Tel: +65 88877512
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1030am - 3pm, 5pm - 930pm
Sat-Sun: 1030am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk along the sheltered walkway to Clementi Ave 5. Cross the road and walk to block 378. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 7 or 282. Alight 1 stop later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Thai-licious Boat Noodles @ Liang Seah Street - A Vision To Bring Traditional Thai Food To Sunny Singapore

Thai-licious Boat Noodles at Liang Seah Street offers Kuay Teow Rua or more commonly known to us as Boat Noodles, alongside with other traditional Thai dishes. This award-winning boat noodle restaurant is a collaboration between a team of our locals and a Thai, and with the vision of delivering that taste of authenticity to us in mind, the kitchen is helmed entirely by Thai chefs, who handpicked ingredients that are flown in directly from Thailand.

Boat noodle has its origins dated from the 1940s when water transportation became vital in Bangkok. Bangkok's canals were bustling with vendors peddling along the river, dishing out bowls of boat noodle straight from their boats, which are loaded with boiling soups, noodles and other accompanying ingredients. Hence, it is easy to see why boat noodle is meant to be only 2 mouthful. At Thai-licious, you can get the same portion at $1.90 (Small) or simply eat your fill at $7.50 (Large).

Pork Boat Noodle 3.8/5

Beef Boat Noodle 3.8/5

Thai-Licious signature boat noodle is available either pork or beef. The stock is prepared daily from scratch, boiled and simmered with bones, herbs, spices and aromatics for at least two hours. Interestingly, I learnt that one of the ingredients used is pandan leaves. The broth is really aromatic and if you love herbal soup, that's almost exactly how it smells like. The pork boat noodle has a different stock base from the beef boat noodle but I like the latter no less. Do note that the noodle is exceptionally sweet. Sticking to the original recipe, do expect quite a dosage of sugar being mixed in. And that's when the vinegar at the side comes in. A few drops of it will balance that sweetness and opens up the flavour of the soup even more.

Papaya Salad 3.5/5

Thai Papaya Salad with Salted egg 3.5/5

I had many Thai papaya salads throughout my life till date but is only today that I learnt that there are more than just one type and they varied in taste quite distinctively. In the menu, there is Thai Papaya Salad, Thai Papaya Salad with Salted Egg and simply Papaya Salad. The latter, I was told, is preferred by the Thais themselves. Dressed with a special papaya sauce, this salad is a lot saltier than our more accustomed Thai papaya salad, said to be the sweet cousin. The salted egg version comes with salted egg slices as topping. Although it doesn't make much difference to the taste but the golden salted egg yolk itself is quite a delicious treat.

Tom Yam River Prawn Noodle 4/5

The mains are split between rice and noodle dishes. In the noodle menu, Tom Yam River Prawn Noodle ($10.50) is recommended if you wish to have both Tom Yum soup and noodle at the same time! The piquant Tom Yum soup has a balance of acidity, sweetness and that fiery kick, one that makes you salivate just by thinking about it. My noodle was done just right, which remained quite chewy even after soaking up the Tom Yum soup. My prawn was a tad overcooked but that aside, the Tom Yum soup is right up my alley.

Basil Rice with Minced Pork 3/5

Falling back to a more familiar taste will be the Basil Rice with Minced Pork ($8.90). It's decent but I would suggest trying out other less commonly offered Thai dishes such as Braised Pork or Duck Noodle.

A cosy space for traditional Thai food, a much needed respite from the stretch of Mala and Hotpot restaurants ahead of them and opposite them. I hope Thai-licious will grow and thrive at Liang Seah Street, if not this street is just going to get too predictable!

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Thai-Licious Boat Noodles
8 Liang Seah Street
#01-01
Singapore 189029
Tel: +65 69179857
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri-Sun: 11am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Walk to Liang Seah Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Took Lae Dee @ Tai Seng - Enjoy Thai Classic Dishes Starting From $3.80

Took Lae Dee, Bangkok’s most famous 24/7 restaurant chain, has found its way to Singapore, making Tai Seng its first ever branch outside Thailand after 45 years. Took Le Dee means “cheap and good” in Thai. In Bangok, their menu is extensive with not just Thai dishes but also Chinese and Western dishes such as American breakfast, steak & fries. With just a few dollars, you get filled up with good quality food even in the wee hours. That actually sounds like Hans during my secondary school days!

Pad Krapow with Egg 2.8/5

As Took Lae Dee Singapore is still trying to settle down, the menu is restricted to offering Thai staples only. What may first caught your eyes is the signature Pad Krapow (Minced Chicken/Pork with Chilli & Basil Leaves & Rice) which cost only $3.80! But just when you may think its really cheap and good, you will realise that you need to fork out another $1.20 to put that quintessential sunny-side up onto your plate. Cost aside, what's notable is that the original holy basil is being used in this dish, which is a lot stronger than the regular basil. But somehow, I couldn't detect much of the distinct peppery basil taste in this dish, unless I deliberately chewed on the leaves. I also expect quite a bit on my $1.20 egg, which turned out to to like those from cookhouse, with deep fried edges tainted with black flecks. I thought even Thai stalls at hawker centres serve more beautiful suuny-side up these days.

Yum Woon Sen 3.5/5

Som Tum 3.5/5

Both of my favourites Yum Woon Sen ($6 ) and Som Tum ($6) didn't disappoint. The Thai spicy vermicelli salad was full of crunch and a lot of heat with lots of chopped onions, chilli, celery and black fungus. Unlike some versions which the fish sauce tends to overwhelm the entire dish, these 2 salads remained bright and refreshing, though somewhat on the spicy side.

Pad Thai 3/5

Like any outlets in Bangkok where you will find them tuck inside Foodland supermarket, it comes with both table seating and counter seating, where you get to see the chefs in action, even fire blazing at times. That's when you know your dishes will be exuding that extra element of wok hei. The Pad Thai ($5/6.20) comes with a choice chicken or prawn, though on the sweeter side, was redeemed by that extra flavour.

Pad Pak Boong 3.5/5

The Pad Pak Boong or Thai Morning Glory ($5) has that wok hei flavour as well, and quite crunchy.  Some of you may prefer this to the sambal chilli style.

Kang Keaw Wan 2.8/5

The Kang Keaw Wan, Thai Green Curry with Chicken/Pork/Beef ($7/$8) surprised me with its lightness as all the recipes are said to be the original. I was expecting it to be a lot more robust and rich. This spicy dish of a creamy consistency calls for freshly made green curry paste, basil leaves, chillies, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk and fish sauce.

Tom Yum Soup 2.8/5

The Tom Yum Soup ($6/$8)) was actually not too bad but the seafood seemed to be from remnants.

Took Lae Dee Iced Milk Tea 3.5/5

I don't usually order Thai Milk Tea because the sweetness is just too much but the Took Lae Dee Iced Milk Tea ($2.80) was really well balanced with the acidity and sweetness. Best part is that I got to add in the milk myself! After all the spicy and strong flavours fighting in my mouth, this is a much needed remedy to cleanse the palate.

If you are lucky, there may be seasonal Mango Sticky Rice available on your visit.

Took Lae Dee here is not 24hours unlike Bangkok, which is a pity as I really feel that much of the spirit of this brand is lost - the vibrancy, the extensive menu of comfort food, affordable pricing. Perhaps dining at the counter seats will allow you to have a better feel of it, it will elevate the taste of the food for sure.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Took Lae Dee
18 Tai Seng Street
#01-34/35/K9
Singapore 539775
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tai Seng (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tai Seng MRT station. Take Exit C. Go to ground level. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Royal Thai Boat Noodles & Bar @ King Albert Park - Authentic Thai Food In Bukit Timah Area

I used to hang out at King Albert Park McDonald during my study at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. In fact there was some sentiment when the building which the Mcdonald was located was tore down for the now KAP residences. The new building has retail and F&B establishments on the first and second floor while the upper levels are for residential.

Mango Salad 4/5

For starter, we tried the Mango Salad ($7) which I though the portion was slightly small for the price. Putting that aside, the flavours are spot on where I can taste the characteristic of sweet, spicy and sour in Thai cuisine. Moreover, the crunchy mango and nutty peanut provided the additional textures for the salad.

Boat Noodles Pork/Beef 4.5/5

A common street food in Thailand is the Thai Boat Noodles ($3.90/$6.90). Diners have the choice of either pork of beef as well as the type of noodles here. The bowl of beef boat noodles comes in a rich and robust soup that is packed with flavours. I like it spicy so I added some chilli flakes into it for the heat and shiokness. The beef slices were tender and the beef meatballs were bouncy too. This is indeed a bowl of slurping goodness, worth me breaking out in sweat.

Hot Basil Rice with Pork $7.50

The other item we ordered is the Hot Basil Rice with Pork ($7.50). I add an addition fried egg for a dollar. Diners can also choose for chicken or beef too. For beef it is a dollar more. While the flavour again meets the mark, I think the portion needs to be fine tuned. Unless I am a rice bucket, I would appreciate the rice to be lesser which I think it probably took up 70% of the plate while the basil pork makes up the rest.

Overall I have enjoyed the food at Royal Thai Boat Noodles & Bar. The dishes I tried are really very authentic. The restaurant itself is also cozy and spacious. Service can be a little bit slow but I can't blame them, they are probably short of manpower. Last but not least, I hope they can look into their portioning, to make it more value for money to their customers.


Royal Thai Boat Noodles & Bar
9 King Albert Park
#01-01/02
Singapore 598332
Tel: +65 86989258
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: King Albert Park (DT line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at King Albert Park MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Bukit Timah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]