Kor Kai

Kor Kai
1 Maju Avenue
#B1-25 MyVillage

https://www.facebook.com/korkaisg/

Meal View

Cozy Casual Thai Issan Eatery With Caring Service

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $23 per person.


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Established in September 2019 by the same folks behind the reowned Thai restaurant Un-Yang-Kor-Dai (UYKD), this venture named Kor Kai is their casual dining concept. Specialising in the same authentic regional North-East Thai cuisine known as Issan, Kor Kai comes in with a smaller menu, but a more accessible price point, while retaining the same high quality of dishes their sister restaurant is known for.

Ambience at Kor Kai is modern casual. The small space is brightly lit with warm lights. Half the area is occupied by the open kitchen, the other half has a few functional tables and chairs scattered about, with good spacing due to measures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Faux greenery and handmade rattan items complete the rustic decor, while the large menu with attractive photos catches the eye.

Service at Kor Kai is partially self-service, with ordering and payment over the counter, but staff will serve orders to your table. Staff demonstrate cursory product knowledge, though the large menu is helpfully illustrated with photos. Orders are prepared quickly, and I note staff clean up tables efficiently when diners are finished. They appear more soft-spoken and shy, rather than friendly.

Food at Kor Kai is focused on the North-East Thai cuisine, also known as Issan cuisine. Like their sister restaurant Un-Yang-Kor-Dai (UYKD), the quality of dishes at Kor Kai is consistently well-executed. Most of what I've tried was delicious. Portions are sized for individuals or for communal group dining. Prices are comparable to other casual restaurants, budget about SGD $23 per person.


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Kor Kai Signage

Kor Kai Exterior

Kor Kai Interior

Issan Beef Ribeye Steak Set Meal (SGD $15.80)

The Thai Iced Lemon Tea (SGD $2) is refreshing, with a smooth citrusy earthy zesty sour sweet tangy flavour. You actually distinctly taste the black tea and lemon here.

Thai Iced Lemon Tea (SGD $2)

The Iced Lemongrass & Pandan (SGD $3) is refreshing and cool, with a bold floral earthy sweet flavour. The use of lemongrass and pandan / screwpine leaf essence is nicely balanced.

Iced Lemongrass & Pandan (SGD $3)

The Thai Iced Milk Tea (SGD $3) with less sugar has a decent earthy bitter sweet milky flavour. It seems the default is 'less sweet', to cater to local tastebuds.

Thai Iced Milk Tea (SGD $3)

The Scotch Eggs With Tamarind Sauce (SGD $4) are a treat. A whole hard boiled egg, soft with natural eggy sweet flavour, is coated in sticky sour sweet tamarind sauce, then garnished with crisp fried shallots which lend a herbal savoury note. Good!

Scotch Eggs With Tamarind Sauce (SGD $4)

The Green Curry Roti Set (SGD $6.90) is a tasty appetizer or snack. The small but generous bowl of Green Curry Chicken has chunks of tender boneless chicken, crunchy string beans, soft pea eggplant, and aromatic holy basil and chili. It holds deep earthy sweet savoury herbal flavour, so nice. Paired with Thai Roti Bread, a crisp flaky doughy flatbread roti studded with sesame seeds, which has decadent buttery bready sweet nutty flavour. Loved every bite of this light meal.

Green Curry Roti Set (SGD $6.90)

Green Curry Chicken

Green Curry Chicken

Thai Roti Bread

Thai Roti Bread

Green Curry Roti Set

Loved the Signature Issan Grilled Chicken Set Meal (SGD $13.50), which is so filling. The fluffy sticky Thai Jasmine White Rice has mild grainy earthy sweet flavour to the white rice. The Chye Sim With Black Pepper Sauce has fresh crunchy stalks of chye sim / choy sum / Chinese flowering cabbage coated in a mild black pepper sauce, the peppery spice notes complementing the vegetal sweet flavour. The Tom Yum Soup is thin, but the warm soup / broth packs bold savoury sour spicy flavour of tom yum. The Signature Issan Grilled Chicken is the star, a half chicken whose meat slides easily off the bone and is so tender and moist. The chicken skin is coated in black pepper and spices, lending a beautiful peppery spice herbal flavour to the natural sweet savoury smoky flavour of the grilled chicken. A Tamarind, Dark Soy, Chili Dipping Sauce with sour salty spicy flavour completes. Highly recommended!

Signature Issan Grilled Chicken Set Meal (SGD $13.50)

Thai Jasmine White Rice

Chye Sim With Black Pepper Sauce

Tom Yum Soup

Signature Issan Grilled Chicken

Tamarind, Dark Soy, Chili Dipping Sauce

The Issan Beef Ribeye Steak (SGD $23), also known as Weeping Tiger Beef, features a medium sized fillet of beef ribeye steak, grilled to a perfect medium rare doneness. With a tender succulent chew and bold meaty savoury salty fatty flavour, this is so good. Served with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp parsley, crunchy shallots, and a thick dipping gravy. The gravy has nice savoury salty sweet flavour, but lacks the spicy punch usually associated with this.

Issan Beef Ribeye Steak (SGD $23)

Issan Beef Ribeye Steak

Issan Beef Ribeye Steak

The Tom Yum Mama Noodles (SGD $8.90) features 'Mama' brand Thai instant noodles, which are thin and soft, in a rich tom yum soup with sweet savoury spicy herbal flavour... in fact, this had more pronounced sweet spicy notes, rather unusual. Garnished with tender straw mushrooms, crunchy bean sprouts, bouncy fish cake, wobbly soft boiled egg, and 3 juicy deshelled prawns / shrimp, all of which take on the flavour of the soup / broth. The portion size is large and filling. Worth ordering!

Tom Yum Mama Noodles (SGD $8.90)

Tom Yum Mama Noodles

I like their version of Sticky Rice With Mango (SGD $7). The mango slices are fresh, juicy, and tender, with bright fruity sweet flavour. The glutinous rice / sticky rice is properly starchy grainy sweet in flavour, complemented with coconut milk which lends a floral earthy note. However, the difference is the bits of toasted rice, which lend a contrasting crunch to texture and a mild toasty grainy sweet flavour. Good!

Sticky Rice With Mango (SGD $7)

Sticky Rice With Mango

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