Soi Thai Kitchen

Soi Thai Kitchen
824 Tampines Street 81 #01-28

58 Serangoon Garden Way

502 Jurong West Avenue 1 #01-811

https://www.facebook.com/SoiThaiKitchen/

https://www.facebook.com/SoiThaiKitchen.SerangoonGarden/

Deep-Fried Sea Bass Fish With Thai Chili Sauce (SGD $25)

Decently Tasty Thai Dishes, Family-Friendly Environment

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 5
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 5
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $15 per person.


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Opening their doors in June 2012, Soi Thai Kitchen is a casual heartland eatery that serves large portions of decently tasty Thai comfort food, at wallet-friendly prices, with quick service, and a family-friendly ambience. This winning combination means that Soi Thai Kitchen tends to attract crowds during peak meal times, so expect a short queue of up to 15 minutes or so, at both their outlets.

Ambience at Soi Thai Kitchen is simple, casual, and functional. The bright, warmly lit place is spacious, but closely packed with sturdy wooden furniture. Paintings and murals of everyday life of the Thai people adorn the rough brick walls. The place is usually bustling, and they can seat large groups.

Service at Soi Thai Kitchen is quick and efficient, if a little disengaged and harried. Once your turn in the queue has arrived, staff will quickly greet and seat you. I note they clear away empty / dirty tables when diners leave very efficiently, turning it around for the next set of diners quickly. Not much product knowledge, and it's also hard to attract their attention during peak meal periods.

Food at Soi Thai Kitchen is classic Thai street food cuisine, with a wide variety of familiar comfort dishes. Taste and freshness of ingredients is decent to above average. The portion sizes are large, meant for communal group dining, and prices are affordable even for students. Budget about SGD $15 per person for a meal here.


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Soi Thai Kitchen Exterior

Soi Thai Kitchen Interior

Menu

Menu

The Thai Coconut (SGD $5), with its tender fruity sweet coconut meat and thirst-quenching coconut water, is so refreshing on warm days. An excellent beverage to accompany a meal.

Thai Coconut (SGD $5)

The Calamansi (SGD $3) is fairly straightforward, with its tangy sour sweet flavour. Refreshing on warm days, aids in cooling off the palate from spicy heat.

Calamansi (SGD $3)

The Lemongrass Tea (SGD $3) is served chilled, and has a light floral herbal sweet flavour. Very refreshing and thirst-quenching, pairs well with spicy dishes.

Lemongrass Tea (SGD $3)

The Thai Iced Milk Tea (SGD $3) has a rich, milky earthy sweet flavour, but is nicely balanced, not cloying. I would have preferred it more bold in taste, but this is decent enough.

Thai Iced Milk Tea (SGD $3)

Naturally, they offer Beer Chang (SGD $7) on the menu, but because their dishes are not salty or spicy enough, it doesn't really pair well. Skip this.

Beer Chang (SGD $7)

The Thai Khao Plao / White Rice (SGD $1) is the main staple here. The white rice is fluffy soft, almost mushy, a sign of too much water being used, or a longer-than-usual steaming duration. Not that great.

Khao Plao / White Rice (SGD $1)

The Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake (SGD $8) is hand-formed; we guessed as much from the inconsistent execution of textures. Some were firm, some were bouncy, some were loosely packed and fell apart when cut. All have a light herbal savoury flavour, though I wish they were more spicy. A below average rendition, I didn't like it. Skip this.

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake (SGD $8)

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake

The Gai Hor Bai Toey / Pandan Chicken (SGD $8 for 4 pieces) entices with its fragrant pandan / screwpine leaf aroma when it's unwrapped. The chicken meat is boldly savoury, with hints of sweet salty flavour, but it straddles the border between moist and dry in texture. Rounds out a meal nicely.

Gai Hor Bai Toey / Pandan Chicken (SGD $8 for 4 pieces)

Gai Hor Bai Toey / Pandan Chicken

Unlike elsewhere, the Som Tam Mamuang / Green Mango Salad (SGD $6) here isn't spicy, with the primary flavours being tangy sour sweet fruity. The strips of green mango have a light crunch, and the garnish of red onions, spring onions, crushed peanuts, parsley, and dried shrimp round it out with tender crunchy chewy textures, and a vegetal sweet savoury flavour. Decent enough.

Som Tam Mamuang / Green Mango Salad (SGD $6)

Som Tam Mamuang / Green Mango Salad

Note the Belachan Kang Kong (SGD $7) is not spicy at all, rather, it has that pungent savoury flavour from the belachan / fermented shrimp paste. This bold gravy coats the fresh, vegetal sweet, crunchy kang kong / water spinach beautifully. Pairs well with white rice.

Belachan Kang Kong (SGD $7)

Belachan Kang Kong

The Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon / Tom Yum Prawn Creamy Soup (SGD $7) has a nice fiery spicy kick that doesn't linger, making it easy to eat. The blend of herbs within lend a tangy sour sweet flavour. Garnished with juicy green tomatoes, tender paddy straw mushrooms, and fresh juicy bouncy deshelled prawns / shrimp. Tasty, but I wish there were more than just 4 prawns / shrimp within.

Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon / Tom Yum Prawn Creamy Soup (SGD $7)

Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon / Tom Yum Prawn Creamy Soup

Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon / Tom Yum Prawn Creamy Soup

The Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup (SGD $7) is slightly off balance in taste, the thin but milky warm coconut milk soup / broth has a bold sour flavour, followed by a sweet savoury earthy milky flavour. Couldn't quite detect the blend of herbs within, besides lemongrass. This warm soup / broth is hearty, completed with chunks of chewy savoury chicken, juicy sweet sour green tomatoes, tender earthy straw mushrooms, soft vegetal sweet white onions, and parsley. Could be better with a slight kick of spicy heat, which seemed to be lacking.

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup (SGD $7)

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

The Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken (SGD $9) here is above average in quality, with a bold, herbal sweet savoury salty flavour to the rich, creamy thick green curry gravy. The chicken chunks are generous in portion, but have a slight chew. The juicy pea eggplant chunks within burst with vegetal sweet flavour when bit. Best shared. Worth ordering!

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken (SGD $9)

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken

The Beef Panang (SGD $11) has a rich, savoury meaty curry gravy of coconut milk, red curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, salt, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, dried shrimp paste, galanagal, and chili. The texture is creamy smooth and thick, while the diced beef chunks within are tender, falling apart easily, with a bold meaty savoury salty flavour. Delicious. Best paired with white rice. Good!

Beef Panang (SGD $11)

Beef Panang

The Deep-Fried Garlic Pork (SGD $8) has a lovely fragrance. While the pork loin was chewy and slightly firm, the savoury spicy flavour is delicious enough to salvage this dish. Best paired with beer.

Deep-Fried Garlic Pork (SGD $8)

Deep-Fried Garlic Pork

Those expecting the Singaporean Chinese version of Salted Egg Squid (SGD $12), like me, are going to be disappointed. Instead of the thick gravy paste, they've balanced it out. The result is a thin gravy, with salty top notes, followed by bold sweet flavour. Disconcerting enough. While the squid rings were bouncy in texture with a delicate sweet savoury flavour, I wasn't able to wrap my palate around the overall taste of the dish.

Salted Egg Squid (SGD $12)

Salted Egg Squid

Loved the Pla Muk Neung Manao / Steamed Squid In Lime Garlic Sauce (SGD $12), with its fresh, bouncy, meaty squid rings. The lime and chili gravy lend zesty tangy sour sweet spicy flavour, very appetizing. Highly recommended!

Pla Muk Neung Manao / Steamed Squid In Lime Garlic Sauce (SGD $12)

Pla Muk Neung Manao / Steamed Squid In Lime Garlic Sauce

Enjoyed the Deep-Fried Sea Bass Fish With Thai Chili Sauce (SGD $25), and it's also good value for money. The 1-day old sea bass fish has tender, flaky fish meat, with a crisp, crunchy skin. Glazed with a rich Thai chili sauce, this has sweet savoury spicy flavours. The fish is largely deboned, with most of the small bones removed, leaving only the large, main bones within. Easy to eat, a good choice for communal group dining.

Deep-Fried Sea Bass Fish With Thai Chili Sauce (SGD $25)

Deep-Fried Sea Bass Fish With Thai Chili Sauce

The Yellow Curry Seafood (SGD $12) has a rich, tasty gravy. Packed with spices and herbs, the yellow curry is mild in heat, but bold in savoury sweet notes. I detect lemongrass, spring onions, white onions, and chili within. The seafood is fresh; large bouncy chewy squid rings, and whole deshelled juicy prawns / shrimp, both with delicate sweet savoury flavour. Slightly more oily than I'd like, but still delicious. Good!

Yellow Curry Seafood (SGD $12)

Yellow Curry Seafood

The Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork (SGD $6) has slices of fresh vegetal sweet cucumber, and a beautiful fried egg, atop sticky and mushy white rice, which could be better with less water or a shorter cooking time. The minced pork and basil leaves have a delicate savoury salty flavour, which is less intense than other versions elsewhere, allowing you to taste the natural flavour of the pork.

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork (SGD $6)

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork

Felt the Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles (SGD $6 / $10) wasn't that great. The slippery, oily, flat rice noodles have an uneven consistency of cooking, and the garnish of tofu beancurd, bean sprouts, egg, crushed peanuts, lime juice, deshelled prawns / shrimp, and chili powder, could have been more generous. Flavours of savoury salty sweet, the portion is large for an individual, and is best shared. I wouldn't order this again though.

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles (SGD $6 / $10)

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

The lovely fragrance of the Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice (SGD $6 / $10) whets the appetite, and the soft but not mushy texture of the sweet savoury rice is spot on. Garnished with pineapple chunks, raisins, preserved pork sausage, chicken chunks, pork floss, cucumber, tomato, and cashew nuts, the ingredients lend great contrast of chewy crunchy juicy textures, with fruity vegetal sweet salty savoury nutty flavours. Enjoyed this. Highly recommended!

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice (SGD $6 / $10)

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice

Utterly disappointed with the Khao Pad Nahm Liap Moo Sap / Olive And Minced Pork Fried Rice (SGD $6 / $10). While it has nice earthy savoury notes, the poor execution resulted in the rice having a sticky, clumpy, slightly mushy texture. Skip this.

Khao Pad Nahm Liap Moo Sap / Olive And Minced Pork Fried Rice (SGD $6 / $10)

Khao Pad Nahm Liap Moo Sap / Olive And Minced Pork Fried Rice

Good rendition of the Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice (SGD $5) here. The glutinous rice is properly sticky but not too filling, and the drizzle of coconut milk lends an earthy floral sweet aroma. The slices of fresh mango are tender and juicy sweet, pairing well with the rice. Satisfiying Thai dessert. Good!

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice (SGD $5)

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

The Tapioca With Sweet Coconut Milk (SGD $3) is a simple but satisfiying dessert, with stewed chunks of tapioca, tender and chewy in texture, coated in a fruity sweet orange infused sugar syrup. The earthy sweet milky flavour of the blend of coconut milk and condensed milk is the main contributor of taste. Best shared.

Tapioca With Sweet Coconut Milk (SGD $3)

Tapioca With Sweet Coconut Milk

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