Rochor Thai @ Joo Chiat

Rochor Thai is the new kid on the block at Joo Chiat Road. In fact, it has taken over the former Yummy Claypot unit injecting some hot spicy competition to the Joo Chiat area which already housed many restaurants and eateries. Rochor Thai is not new to the food scene. It was formerly located at Rochor Centre before shifting to the current premise.

We started off with the Pandan infused Lemongrass drink. A light and refreshing drink that is just perfect for the hot afternoon.

Amuse Bouche 4/5

I am actually quite taken back that we were served Amuse Bouche. I was not expecting it from a casual Thai restaurant. Anyway, the Amuse Bouche nicely showcases the 4 different tastes that can be enjoyed at Rochor Thai.

Som Tum 4/5

The central Thailand style green papaya salad, Som Tum ($6.80) was bursting with different tastes coming together making a beautiful dish. Be warned that the refreshing salad packed a fiery punch to it. Lending a nice crunchy texture to the dish is the shredded unripe papaya.

Pla Nin Pao 4.2/5

The Pla Nin Pao ($22.80) reminded me of the salted crusted whole tilapia which I had along the street of Thailand, served with a spicy garlic chilli sauce at the side. Instead of being grilled on charcoal like the street stalls in Thailand, it's oven baked at Rochor Thai. The tilapia was moist and perfectly cooked without that muddy taste.

Po Taek 4.2/5

The Po Taek ($8.80) which is a clear hot sour soup with holy basil and kaffir lime leaves. The well balanced hot and sour broth was an delightful enjoyment together with the fresh seafood.

Tom Yum Talay 4/5

The Tom Yum Talay ($8.80) with its fiery appearance was not as hot and spicy as it looked. It still tasted delicious but I still prefer the clear soup base to this for the stronger spicy kick.

Kor Moo 4.2/5

As you can see from the photo, the grilled pork collar was cooked beautifully with the meat still having a shade of pink. The Kor Moo ($12.80) was tender and succulent.

Gaeng Kaew Wan Gai 3.5/5

Green curry in Thai cuisine is actually not spicy but more on the sweet side. The Gaeng Kawe Wan Gai ($11.80), chef's special green curry with chicken thigh and Thai eggplant welcomes a bowl of rice for me to drench it with the green gravy to savour it.

Gaeng Chu Chee Neua 3/5

The slow braised beef in Thai Chu Chee Curry, Gaeng Chu Chee Neua ($18.80) was a bit disappointing for me. While the flavours were there, the beef was tad tough. The shin cut needs a bit more time for the tissues to break down more.

Pad Kee Mao Goong 4/5

The Pad Kee Mao Goong ($16.80/$24.80) translated as stir fried Thai drunken style was fresh and succulent. There was nothing alcohol about the dish but got the name from the fact that it is a dish originated in the wee hours of the morning after a merrymaking night at the nightclub.

Pla Krapong Daeng 4/5

The Pla Krapong Daeng ($16.80/$24.80), deep fried red snapper fillets in raad prig was pretty good. I could not help going back for a few more pieces of it.

Khai Niew Ma Muang 4.2/5

The Manago Sticky Rice, Khai Niew Ma Muang ($7.80) is a staple Thai dessert that is must order in every Thai restaurant. The version at Rochor Thai has the mango diced into cubes for easy consumption and sharing. Love the topping of mung beans on the glutinous rice giving it an extra crunchy bite to it.

Manted Chuame 3/5

The Manted Chuame had me salivating and looking forward to dig in to it. Unfortunately the candied cassava was not as soft as I would like it to be.

I have known of Thai restaurants adjusting the authentic recipes to suit the local palate. While this make commercial sense, it lost that authentic flavours. At Rochor Thai, it tasted like the kitchen has not ready tweaked the recipe, striving to bring the authenticity flavours to the plate. While this is appreciated in my meal, I noted the pricing on the menu is a bit higher compare to other Thai restaurants.


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Rochor Thai
340 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427592
Tel: +65 64403270
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RochorThai
Website: http://www.rochorthai.sg/
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 945pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at block 99 (Stop ID 81181). Take bus number 16. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Spicy Thai Thai Cafe @ Aljunied Avenue 2

Calling out to fans of Thai food, a new restaurant which prides itself of offering authentic Thai food has opened in the heartland of Singapore in Aljunied. Formerly a food court at the HDB block near Geylang East Swimming Complex, Spicy Thai Thai Cafe now owns the whole premise which still looks like a food court but offering only one and only cuisine, Thai food where it will get your taste buds sing (slogan of the cafe). Together with Daniel, Nicole and my girlfriend we went down to try the Thai food on a Saturday evening.

Tom Yum Seafood Soup Clear 4/5

The restaurant insists of using charcoal for their soup and steamed dishes to keep the dish simmering hot consistently without affecting the quality of the food. The Tom Yum Seafood Soup Clear ($6/$14) has a nice balance of the characteristic hot and sour flavours with a generous serving of fresh seafood.

Nam Tok Moo (Grilled Pork Salad) 3.5/5

For Thai cuisine, I usually order the papaya or green mango salad for appertiser. For a change, we tried the Nam Tok Moo or Grilled Pork Salad ($12). Although the grilled pork was a bit dry but the medley of flavours definitely whetted up the appetite.

Stir Fried Kang Kong with Chilli 4/5

The Stir Fried Kang Kong with Chilli ($8) was well executed with a nice crunchy bite to it. A simple and comfort dish that came with a hint of pleasant spiciness.

Green Curry with Chicken 4/5

I always enjoy Green Curry with Chicken ($8) because it goes very well with the rice. Green curry is actually not spicy but sweet instead. The bowl of creamy mild green curry with baby Thai eggplant, long beans and chicken pieces was so delectable that I drenched my plate of rice with it.

Stir Fried Phad Thai with Seafood 4.2/5

I seldom order Pad Thai in Singapore because they were usually disappointing. I am glad my table decided to try the Phad Thai with Seafood ($6). It was as good as you can get in Thailand. The Phad Thai from Spicy Thai - Thai Cafe is definitely one of best in town.

BBQ Chicken Wing 3/5

The BBQ Chicken Wing ($6 for 4pc, $9 for 6pc) was a bit too sweet with the marination. It will be perfect if they can do some adjustment with the marinate.

Hommok Thai Style Otak 4/5

Unlike our local otak, the Hommok Thai Style Otak ($15) has a more mushy texture. It is not spicy at all. The fish mousseline has a nice fruity coconut flavour that comes with surprise bites of the coconut flesh.

Red Ruby 4/5

Mango Sticky Rice 4.5/5

We have the staple Thai desserts, Red Ruby and Mango Sticky Rice to end our dinner on a sweet note. While the red ruby was good especially after a spicy feast to cool off that heat, it was the mango sticky rice that stood out. It instantly brought back memories of this mango sticky rice stall which I frequent whenever I go to Thailand. Like the stall, roasted fragrant sesame seeds were added to the glutinous rice which simply raised the enjoyment a bar different from the rest.

Overall I find that Spicy Thai - Thai Café is worth a visit if you are looking for authentic Thai food that does not burnt a hole in your pocket. With its spacious premise, it is also suitable for family and group dinner. Thai Mookata is also served here. For a mere $35, you will get a big plate of meats, seafood and veggies.


Spicy Thai - Thai Cafe
Blk 115 Aljunied Avenue 2
#01-35
Singapore 380115
Tel: +65 67478558
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpicyThaiThaiCafe
Nearest MRT: Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 12am

Direction:
1) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn right and walk to Geylang East Ave 1. On Geylang East Ave 1, turn left and continue to the end of the road. Cross the road and continue on Aljunied Crescent. Walk down Aljunied Crescent and turn right onto Aljunied Ave 2. Walk to block 115. Journey time about 15 minutes.

Jai Thai Restaurant @ East Coast Road

(Photo taken with Canon IXUS 120IS )

"Jai" means "Heart" in Thai. Jai Thai Restaurant offers the Heart of Thai Cooking for good and excellent value. Jai Thai Restaurant is reowned as having the "Most Value for Money Thai Restaurant in Singapore" with the slogan "Wallet Friendly Authentic Thai Cuisine". Currently Jai Thai has 3 outlets in Singapore at Clover Way, Purvis Street and East Coast Road.



Jai Thai is opened by Ms Suchana back in 1999 to continue his dad, Mr Swang 40 years of cooking experienc. Mr Swang used to open a small restaurant in Bangkok which was given much publicity over the years. Mr Swang retired in 1997 and so was his restaurant.

Tom Yum Seafood Clear Soup 4.5/5

In general, the food at Jai Thai comes in 3 different portion of Small, Medium and Large cost around $5, $7 and $10 respectively.  The pricing itself is already eye catching. What about the food?

The Tom Yum Seafood Soup ($7) indeed was very authentic and spicy. It definitely one of the best I had outside Thailand. Quantity was also not sacrificed with cheap price. Look at the amouth of seafood swimming in the bowl of soup.

Green Curry Chicken 4.2/5

The bowl of Green Curry Chicken ($5) came with nice tender chicken fillet slices. The thick and creamy gravy also had a nice balance of sweetness and spiciness that went well with the rice.

Olive Rice 4.2/5

The Olive Rice ($4) was fluffy and fragrant. I thought it was different from others as the dish was served with walnuts, shredded carrot and shredded mango. It definitely gave the dish a few more dimension in flavours and textures. By the way, I forgot to take a photo of the dish when it was served. This was the leftover after we took our portion.

Fried Kang Kong 4.2/5

The Fried Kang Kong ($5) is a simple but yet tasty with a nice crunchy texture.

Steamed Tofu with Chicken Basil 4.5/5

If I am eating alone at a Thai restaurant, I would likely to order to Chicken/Pork Basil with rice. At Jai Thia, if you are craving for it, they have the Steamed Tofu with Chicken Basil ($6). It was a contrast combination that gel together very well.



Jai Thai Restaurant
205 East Coast Road
Singapore 428904
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JaiThaiSG
Website: http://www.jai-thai.com
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take exit A. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 10 or 32. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to 112 Katong. Journey time about 15 minute

Black Canyon Coffee @ Fusionpolis

Black Canyon Coffee is a local Thailand brand that has a history dated back to 1993. It has more than 190 branches all over Thailand. It is one of the coffee house I would visit whenever I am in Thailand. It has an extensive food menu covering western, eastern and local Thai cuisines.

I am glad that someone has franchised Black Canyon Coffee to Singapore. It sort of got be excited when I get to know that it is conveniently located near One North MRT station.

Thai Ice Tea and Lime Juice 4/5

I am here for the Thai food so for beverage I have to order my favourite Thai Ice Tea.

Chicken Green Curry 4/5

The Chicken Green Curry is the perfect pairing for the plain rice. I love the thick creamy green curry over my rice. The chicken was also very tender. Unfortunately the Thai eggplant was a bit tough, cooking it a few more minutes would be perfect.

Prawn Tom Yum Soup 4/5 

I thought the Prawn Tom Yum Soup was a bit different. The restaurant used quite a lot of shallots in the soup. Not sure if that is the reason, the soup tasted not as sour. It lacked that sour kick I was looking for in a bowl of Tom Yum Soup.


Black Canyon Coffee
Fusionpolis (Connexis Tower)
1 Fusionpolis Way
#02-01/02
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackCanyonCoffeeSingapore
Website: http://www.blackcanyoncoffee.com/
Nearest MRT: One-North (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 930pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 1130am - 930pm

Direction:
Alight at One-North MRT station. Take exit B. Take the escalator up to level 2 to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes.