Auntie’s Wok and Steam @ Andaz Singapore - Celebrate Asia Street Food By Top Female Chefs

The start of the year 2020 sees female power taking over Auntie’s Wok and Steam at Andaz Singapore. As part of a culinary series that aims to celebrate the unique taste of Asian street food, a scheduled line-up of top female chefs of different Hyatt hotels in Asia will set up a short-term residency at Auntie’s Wok and Steam, and they shall be whipping up their city’s authentic street food tastes and flavours. Kickstarting this culinary series is Chef Tubtim Warapai, who will be presenting to you Thai cuisine from her hometown of North-east Isan with a specially crafted a la carte menu, lunch and dinner sets, which will be available daily from 3 to 14 February 2020.

Prices for the a la carte menu start at $12 per dish and $26 for the lunch tray sets which include an appetizer, main and dessert. Set dinner menu which we had tried is priced at $68, which showcases Chef Tubtim Warapai's home-cooked local specialties such as Chicken Green Curry (Gaeng keaw wan gai) and Crab Fried Rice (Khao pad poo).

Som Tum 3.5/5

You get to choose any 3 dishes from Appetizer. Som Tum is what most of us are familiar with - the spicy, sweet and sour green papaya salad that we love in our summery weather. What I like about this Som Tum is that the fish sauce is not as assertive like some others, and definitely not as fiery as well.

Grilled Pork Neck 4/5

The next two dishes are the must-order - Kor Moo Yang (Grilled pork neck) and Nam tok Thai Beef Salad. Grilled Pork Neck is blessed with the right amount of lean meat and fats and when grilled perfectly, like ours, they get really tender and flavorful. But what really pushes the experience up a notch is the accompanying spicy Isan dipping sauce that counters the fatty pork neck - nam jim jaew chilli sauce. Like most Thai sauces, it is tart, sweet, spicy, and nutty with tamarind, herbs, sugar and ground peanuts, and ours had such a good balance of flavours that I had the remaining for most of the other dishes too.

Thai Beef Salad 3.8/5

The Thai Beef Salad is essentially beef slices mixed with dried chilli, kaffir lime and mint. Similar to the grilled pork neck, the beef slices had a beautiful texture to it. The condiments did not at all overpower the meat but they combined to serve as a refreshing counterpoint to the beef.

Tom Yum Talay 3/5

You get to select 3 Mains as well. Tom Yum Talay, again, a hot and spicy soup that we have grown to love. Although it lacked the usual shiokness from the sour-spicy kick that I was craving for, the fresh and succulent ingredients somewhat make up for it.

Crab Fried Rice 4/5

Khao Pad Poo (Crab fried rice) was yummy with chewy-tender fried rice and I love the chunks of scrambled organic egg that marbled the rice. Topped with chunks of crab meats, tossing them together gives a satisfying textural bite.

Gaeng Phed Goong 4/5

Gaeng Phed Goong serves up tiger prawns in red curry. The curry can certainly be more robust I feel, but it suits diners who can't take much heat.

Mango Stick Rice 3.8/5

For Dessert, on the menu are Mango Sticky Rice and Tub Tim Grob (Red rubies). Don't expect them to be street-food quantity but the sweetness of them will satisfy that post-meal craving for sure.

Red Ruby 3/5

Written 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.


Auntie's Wok & Steam
Andaz Singapore
Level 25
5 Fraser Street
Singapore 189354
Tel: +65 64081255
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm
Weekend & PH Yum Cha Buffet: 12pm - 3pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Thanying @ Amara Singapore - Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine Fit For Royalties

Little did I know that there is a Thai restaurant on level 2 of Amara Singapore. In fact, Thanying has been around since 1988. It has recently reopened again after a refurbishment. The interior is brighter now with a seating capacity for 128 people and 2 brand new private rooms.

Thanying Thai Style Salmon Yusheng with Chicken Curls 4.5/5

In conjunction with the upcoming Lunar New Year, Thanying has also introduced their own Thai Style Salmon Yusheng with Chicken Curls. The yusheng comprises of yam strips, green mango, a mix of fresh vegetables tossed in a special sauce that includes fish sauce, lime juice and chilli padi. It is refreshing with a hint of spiciness, with a lot of textures and flavours. This is one of the better yusheng I have eaten this year.

Miang Khum 4/5

Next, we had the Miang Khum, a light appetiser that is eaten like a wrap. Take a piece of the leaf and then wrapped it with the different condiments such as tasty bits of herbs, peanut, dried shrimp and ginger. Last but not least, add a few dollops of honeyed tamarind sauce and rolled it up. What you get is a firework of flavours with each bite.

Peek Gai Sod Sai 4/5

Whenever I have Peek Gai Sod Sai, I always tell myself it is a brilliant idea to remove the bone and stuffed it with its own minced meat. It is so convenient to eat. In Thanying's version, herbs are added into the minced chicken stuffing, giving it a subtle aroma on top of the crispy skin.

Tom Yam Goong 4.5/5

I like Thai Cuisine, but many places have reduced the spicy level to cater to those that have a low tolerant. A dish that it is a good benchmark is the Tom Yam Goong. At Thanying, the spicy prawn soup is packed with depth, that will probably make you break out in a sweat.

Goong Krabueng 4.2/5

I am not a big fan of Thai prawn cake, but the version at Thanying is very different. The Goong Krabueng is thin and crispy with delectable prawn paste. The deep-fried prawn pancake will be adored by both young and old.

Phad Pak Kanar 4.2/5

After a couple of light starters, we move on to dinner proper starting with the Phad Pak Kanar. A simple stir-fried Thai Kailan with oyster sauce to go along with the other mains. Though simple, the execution is perfect with the greens still retaining its crunch.

Pla Krapong Nuengmanao 4.5/5

One of my favourite Thai dishes is the Pla Krapong Nuengmanao. I find that the Steamed Seabass with Special Lime and Chilli Sauce, not only showcases the core flavours of Thai cuisine, it also complemented the freshness of the moist fish.

Gaeng Panang Nuer

Cooked to tender is the Gaeng Panang Nuer. The thick red curry is not as spicy as it looks. In fact, it is slightly sweet, which is very appetising with a plate of steamed white rice.  I love it so much that I drenched my rice with the savoury curry.

Khao Ohb Nam-Liaeb 4/5

Usually, most diners will order pineapple fried rice at Thai restaurants, but my preference is black olive rice. The Khao Ohb Nam-Liaeb here comes with minced chicken, and cashew nuts served in claypot. With all the mouth drooling food, this completes the meal.

Thai Dessert Set 4.2/5

End the night on a sweet note with the Thai Dessert Set. It comes with three different tiers of bite-size sweet delights. I have a difficult time picking which is my favourite, as they are all so good. Hence my advice is to save some space for this dainty sweetness.

Though I have not known about Thanying until my recent visit, it is never too late to discover another Thai restaurant that serves excellent and exquisite royal Thai cuisine. Besides the delicious dishes I had, this is just only the iceberg of the extensive menu. On top of that, it also has a vegetarian menu with close to 30 dishes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Amara Singapore
165 Tanjong Pagar Road
Level 2
Singapore 088539
Tel: +65 62224688
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 3pm, 630pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Gopeng Street and turn into Tras Street. Walk to Amara Hotel. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Baan Ying @ Royal Square - The Great Baan Ying Brunch

Established since 1999 in Bangkok, Baan Ying has been known for its home-style Thai cuisine created by founder Aunty Ying. From a small humble eatery to a restaurant group in Bangkok, its first Singapore outpost in Royal Square set up last year made quite an impression with its bright and airy space. Other than bringing home-style dishes from Aunty Ying's hometown, Baan Ying shall bring to you another type of experience - The Great Baan Ying Brunch.

Salmon Steak 3.5/5

Drop by on Saturday or Sunday from 11am to 3pm, you can indulge in popular Thai favourites that include a choice of one main course along with a buffet spread of 12 to 15 delectable appetisers, sides and desserts on rotation every week. Priced at $38.80++ per adult and $19.40++ per child (four to ten years old; kids under three dine free; child price includes a complimentary fruit juice). Top up $29.80 for a free-flow of beer and wine. Out of the four mains that I get to choose from - Angus Beef Steak, Bone-in Iberico Pork Chop (approx. 250g, additional $9.80++), Pan-fried Salmon Steak and Grilled Large River Prawns, we had the Salmon Steak and Pork Chop.

Pork Rib 3.8/5

Iberico Pork Chop, that has been marinated with Aunty Ying's secret blend of Thai spices. My favourite part is definitely the portion near the rib, as I really love the luscious and flavourful fats. The lime wedges served together with the main dishes is a nice touch to cut the richness of the meats.

Thai Salad 4/5

That said, coming to a Thai restaurant, the main drawn is still the spread of the traditional Thai dishes such as salads, soups, the curries etc. One of the highlights for me is definitely the DIY Thai Salad station where I get to mix and match own ingredients such as peanuts, dried shrimp, cherry tomatoes, long beans and either, tangy green papaya (Som Tum) or green mango (Yum Mamuang) and toss them in Aunty Ying’s secret salad dressing. We were fortunate to have a staff to demonstrate for us the techniques and skills that go into making a good Som Tum. Seems tedious but with a dressing that good, I am quite sure yours will turn out just as great too!

Yum Woon Sen 3.8/5

Out of the entire spread, my favourite would be the Yum Woon Sen (Glass Noodle Salad) which was loaded with seafood. The ingredients were really fresh, especially the thick cut of fish slices.

Larb Moo Tod 3/5

Mu Tod Nga 3/5

A few bite size items that is good to accompany your beer is the mini Larb Moo Tod, deep fried spicy meat balls mixed with toasted ground rice, mixed herbs and lime. The other delectable bite is the Mu Tod Nga which is Baan Ying's very own white sesame pork, and you may find it as moreish as any fried chicken wing. It would be much better of course, if you are able to consume them while still hot as they tend to get a bit dry and tough when out for too long.

Green Curry with Chicken 3/5, Salted Egg Fried Rice 3.5/5

A few quintessential Thai dishes such as Green Curry and Tom Yum Soup are also available. There was no pineapple fried rice, but we had an equally sumptuous Salted Egg Fried Rice.

Rainbow Ruby 3/5

Yam Soup 3/5

Desserts are of comforting taste, such as Rainbow Ruby, that has colours obtained from natural ingredients such as sweet potatoes, Lord Chong (green tapioca noodles in sweet coconut milk) and Yam Soup.

Overall, although there are a few interesting Thai dishes among the buffet spread, I might have a more satisfying experience if I were to go for ala carte option. The main dishes were all right but the key to satisfy my Thai food craving would still be that few Thai style dishes that I have grown accustomed to.

Words and photos 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.


Baan Ying
Royal Square @ Novena
103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 91117852
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am to 3 pm, 530pm to 10pm
Sat-Sun: 11am to 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins. [Map]

Blue Jasmine @ Park Hotel Farrer Park - Halal Thai Restaurant With A New Refreshed Menu

Blue Jasmine is a 100-seater halal Thai Restaurant on the 5th floor of Park Hotel Farrer Park. Open for slightly more than a year, the restaurant has refreshed its menu. Besides the traditional dishes that define Thai cuisine, in the refreshed menu, it also offers regional specialities that is lesser known in Thai cuisine.

Tom Yum Sea Bass 'Poh Tek' 3.8/5

We probably have been used to tom yum soup but a lesser known similarity is the Tom Yum Sea Bass 'Poh Tek' ($20). Poh Tek is a type of tom yum that is made with different proportion of spices and ingredients. It supposes to be very spicy which needs to include deep fried chilli and basil. Deep fried sea bass is also added for a totally different experience to the classic tom yum soup. I personally find that it can be spicier.

Cha-Om Fried Egg 4.5/5

The Cha-Om Fried Egg ($12) is my favourite item among the new dishes I tried. An egg mixture of sliced acacia leaves, fish sauce, pepper powder are whisked together and fried and rolled into shape. The fragrant fried egg roll is best eaten with the shrimp paste sauce that tasted like our local chinchalok. The sauce is really spicy but damn shiok, elevating the whole enjoyment.

Yellow River Prawn Curry 3.5/5

Not all curry is spicy. Take for example the Yellow River Prawn Curry ($26) topped with betel leaves and microgreens. In fact it is sweet not spicy. The curry is creamy and coconuty. It is best to go with a plate of steamed rice. The prawn is also fresh and crunchy.

Holy Basil Krapao (Squid) 4/5

I thought Thai only use Thai basil for the basil minced pork or chicken dish, I am definitely enlightened by the dish, Holy Basil Krapao ($24). I enjoyed the layer of aroma from the basil on top of the spiciness from the sambal. Note worth is well cooked long beans that has a nice crunch but not on the raw side.

Roast Chicken Esarn Style 4.2/5

The marination of the Roast Chicken Esarn Style ($16) is so flavourful that I can have it on its own. The accompanying dipping sauce is the fish sauce type. I thought the shrimp paste sauce from the Cha-Om Fried Egg goes better with the roast chicken. 

Thai Fried Kueh Teow (Seafood) 3.8/5

Don't be mistaken, this is not Pad Thai but Thai Fried Kueh Teow with Seafood ($18). It is indeed quite similar to our local char kway teow with a hint of wok hei aroma. The taste is more savoury and less sweet compared to our local version, probably to the use of fish sauce in the frying.

Thai Chendol 4/5

Last but not least, we end on dinner on a sweet note with the Thai Chendol ($12). The chendol has more ingredients than our local version, such as the addition of red and blue rubies, young coconut and jackfruit.

Note: This is an invited tasting. 


Blue Jasmine
Park Hotel Farrer Park
10 Farrer Park Station Road
Level 5
Singapore 217564
Tel: +65 68248851
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 630pm - 10pm (buffet dinner)

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 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]