Penang Street @ One@Kentridge

Have you heard of One@Kentridge? It is the new wing of NUH beside the Kentridge MRT station where it housed some retail shops and eateries. After receeing the different floors I decided to have dinner at Penang Street which has a the rustic but yet playful play of colours around the restaurant.

KL Fried Hokkien Mee 2/5

After browsing the menu for awhile, I ordered the KL Fried Hokkien Mee ($9.80). Unfortunately my eagerly waited plate of KL Fried Hokkien Mee was a disappointment. The black sauce used for the stir fried hokkien mee was lackluster and not fragrant. The noodle was also too firm and chewy as if I was eating stir fried udon. It tasted nothing near to what I have tried in Malaysia. My dining partner even has to make the comment, "Why the kitchen never taste their food before servicing it to their customer?"

Penang Char Kway Teow 2/5

Appearance can be deceiving. The Penang Char Kway Teow ($8.80) was just as bad that I could not go for a second helping. The sauce was bad and there was no aroma or wok hei fragrant at all.

Lor Bak Platter 3/5

Finally we have something at least eatable in the Lor Bak Platter ($11.80). The gooey dipping gravy was pretty good and went well with the fried beancurd, century egg and lor bak. However it did come across a bit pricey.

Penang Street was really a disappointment for the fact that it is under Minor Food Group Singapore which owns other brands such as Poulet, ThaiExpress, Shokudo Japanese Coffee House, Kiseki Japanese Buffet, Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe, Buffet Town, Heng Heng Curry Cafe, Pinle and New York New York. Hopefully Penang Street can get their act together and serve some decent food soon.


Penang Street
One@Kentridge
NUH
1 Lower Kent Ridge Road
#01-09 & #01-19/20
Singapore 119082
Tel: +65 63346023
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PenangSt
Website: http://www.penangst.com
Nearest MRT: Kentridge (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Kentridge MRT station. Take the Exit. Turn right at the control station. Walk to destination. 2 minutes. [Map]

Spicy Thai - Thai Cafe @ Aljunied Avenue 2

I am back at Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe again. The last time I visited the place was sometime back in May 2013. You can read the review here. I am back this time round to try out some of their new items on their menu.

Crispy Lad Na with Seafood 4.2/5

I remembered having Lad Na back in 2011 when I visited Coffee Stars by Dao and I love it a lot . I am glad that Spicy Thai is having the Crispy Lad Na with Seafood ($6) in their new menu. The wide rice noodle or more commonly known to many as Hor Fun has a crispy exterior while inside was smooth, layers of texture for enjoyment.

Dill Pattie (Cha Om) Omelette 3.5/5

The simple egg omelette is given a new injection of life with the Dill Pattie (Cha Om) Omelette ($8). I like the herby taste of the dill. However I felt that more dill can be used to give it a more distinct character if not one can simply pass it off as a normal egg omelette.

Deep Fried Kang Kong with Special Thai Sauce 4/5

The Deep Fried Kang Kong with Special Thai Sauce ($10) is pretty unique to me. At least I have not seen it served in any other Thai restaurants I have visited. Lightly battered like tempura, it was a fun and enjoyable dish to each as a snack. The velvety, spicy and nutty dipping sauce complements the tempura kang kong enhancing the flavour.

Deep Fried Seabass with Mango Salad 4/5

Moving on to some seafood, I tried the Deep Fried Seabass with Mango Salad (Seasonsal Price). Deep fried to golden brown on the exterior, the fish was still moist inside. However I was confused with the salad part of the dish. The so called mango salad was more like a dipping sauce than salad. Saying that, it was actually the star of the dish with the staple Thai sweet, sour and spicy flavours lending a delectable character to the fish.

Basil Black Pepper Crab 4.2/5

The Basil Black Pepper Crab (Seasonal Price) was beautifully infused with the basil flavour. The sweet crab meat had a new aromatic of the basil flavour while the black pepper is on the mild side. Roasted pork was also added to enhance the flavour.

Sleeping Fish Set 4.2/5

The dish that I was very eager to try was the Sleeping Fish Set ($15). Basically take a bit of everything and eat it like a wrap with a bit of the special sauce. The short mackerel or known as Pla Thu comes from Thailand. Their unique tilted head is due to fitting the fish into the small storage container, not that the fish looks like that. Inspired by the cuisine of Isan (Northeast region of Thailand), this simple dish underneath the different layers of textures was interesting balance with each ingredients working harmoniously together.

I have enjoyed the new items at Spicy Thai. I have known of friends that have visited the place and all has good feedback about their food. If I am craving for Thai food, this is one of the place I would go. Besides cooked dishes, Spicy Thai also serves Mookata. Saying that, it has been awhile since I had Mookata. Time to pay them a visit soon.


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. [Map]