Guide to Thai food

Formerly known as Lai Thai, Kedai Makanan Frame Thai can no longer be considered PJ’s best-kept secret – this bustling mini mart-restaurant has now emerged as one of the go-to places in town for Thai street food. Although the shop’s dreary ambience is not particularly enticing, Lai Thai has steadily won over new fans by serving immensely satisfying pork dishes (definitely go for the braised pork leg and the punchy stir-fried minced pork with basil) as well as selling packaged goods and condiments from Thailand.

Napa, the new kid on a block off Sri Hartamas, specialises in long-lost Thai delicacies but doesn’t skimp on all the more familiar flavours, either. Start with the yum cha om goong kai mod dang, a salad of ant eggs (!) and shrimp, served with crispy acacia in a spicy lime dressing. Some standouts include char-grilled Australian Angus beef strip loin with homemade panang curry; pan-fried squid egg with spicy coriander lime sauce and mint leaves; and slow-cooked marinated lamb shank in a sweet and sour sauce, all best paired with a frosty glass of Singha beer. 

If you’re in the mood for classics (but elevated), go for deep-fried stuffed chicken wings, Surat Thani crab fried rice, and end on a sweet note with a do-it-yourself dessert: crispy pancakes with egg yolk angel hair, Thai meringue, sesame and shredded savory coconut.

Greetings from the most interesting Thai restaurant you might’ve never heard of: The SIAM Thai Cuisine, located within M City, delivers a one-two punch with accomplished cooking and drama, drama, drama. Chef Narut — whose culinary experience includes two years at R.HAAN, a renowned two Michelin-starred restaurant in Bangkok — along with Aunty Nita and their team of seven Thai chefs have a hit on their hands with the tomyum syphon, a one-of-a-kind, theatrical dish of tomyum flame-torched and served in a syphon, filled with aromatics and herbs. 

Also don’t miss: the signature steamed fish with chili, lime and garlic; kai look kei, an authentic Thai dish featuring soft-boiled eggs fried and servied in a sweet and savoury sauce; and pad thai, prettily encased in an egg net (the traditional way) and served with fresh prawns, chili flakes and peanuts.

It’s easy to wonder if the Michelin Guide-awarded Bangkok outpost is worth the parking fee at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. We’re here to tell you our answer is yes, because this is not your ordinary phad thai, even if the stylings do lean street. Order the phad thai kung mae nam yang, the signature rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, tofu, and a secret 18-ingredient sauce, served with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and grilled blue river prawns. If you’re not keen on seafood, there are chicken, beef, and even vegetarian variants.

While you’re there, sample the miang khana (meaning “many bites”), the do-it-yourself salad wraps of young kale leaves served with mixed chicken crackling, onions, peanuts, salty-sweet shrimp paste sauce, and other toppings.

Darren Chin is as much a culinary storyteller as he is a celebrated chef. At Gai, meaning chicken, his interpretation of Thai cuisine is a family affair; his Thai wife, Nana, and her parents, Papa Suwit and Mama Nuanta are the heart and soul of the restaurant. In a charming little space above Darren’s existing eatery Bref, his narration translates his in-laws’ homely Northern Thai recipes into contemporary, elevated dishes, such as Papa Suwit’s tom saeb oxtail stew; a sour-spicy broth with chillies, Chinese celery and fresh lime juice. 

Other recommended dishes include Mama Nuanta’s Thai green curry chicken; Lady Boss Nana’s signature tom yum seafood featuring Sabah river prawns, Hokkaido scallops, jumbo shrimp, fresh crab meat and baby cuttlefish; and Darren’s reimagining of Jay Fai’s crab omelette, featuring onzen ivory eggs with 150gms of chunky fresh crab meat, served with signature seafood nam jim dipping sauce.

Taman Tun Dr Ismail, or TTDI, has tons of great Thai spots, from the fuss-free Adeena Thai Cafe to the more upscale Gai by Darren Chin, but none of them are quite like La Moon; it doesn’t mean the literal moon, but instead connotes balance, softness and tender care. 

Chef Korn, formerly of Erawan, goes around to every table asking if you loved your meal — and how could you not when the kitchen knocks out a considered menu with dishes like fresh-from-the-cob corn salad with cashews and salted duck egg; juicy cockles in red curry; and cha-om omelette. Ask for the specials, which change by the week depending on seasonality. If you’re in luck, the Thai red curry of roasted duck and pineapple or steamed squid with chili, lime and garlic sauce are as good as one can find in the city.