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Thai Food
Samira Thai Restaurant @ Sentul Park, Kuala Lumpur
May 13th
If you liked dining at a private, Zen-ish restaurant such as Subak then you will surely like Samira as well. Nestled deep in the Sentul Park, Samira is a Thai restaurant set within a tropical atmosphere surrounded with lush greeneries. If you are wondering, the restaurant is located just opposite the KL Performance Arts Center, operating side by side with the Sentul Park Koi Centre.
The dining hall offers the guests a beautiful, panaromic view of Sentul Park’s lake.
Food variety is good and it would take you at least a couple of visits to try them all. You might notice that the portion of the dishes is not large because they are prepared for two as stated in the menu. Since it was our first time here, we ordered mostly the signature dishes.
The Thai Hor Mok (Fish Custard) @ RM23 sounds new but you might have known it as Thai Otak-Otak. This delicious dish is generously loaded with seafood (mostly ground fish) and filled with a flavorful blend of coconut milk, chili paste and Thai herbs and spices. Compared with the other Thai Otak-Otak I have had at other places, Samira’s version is moist with an almost creamy texture that goes extremely well with rice.
Janwa Thai Restaurant @ Bandar Menjalara, Kepong
Mar 31st
Janwa Thai, a no-frills Thai restaurant at Bandar Menjalara that is a popular with the locals. It is run by a Thai family so you could only expect honest and reasonably priced food here. This could be considered our ‘safe’ restaurant whenever we are out of dining ideas, especially on weekends.
Special Seafood Tomyam @ RM28. It is prepared really hot and sour here, definitely not for those who have a weak tolerance. Because of that we usually do not order this when eating in a small group.
The slightly spicy Thai Fish Cakes (RM2.50/pc) are made using only fresh fish fillets (seasoned with red curry paste, hence the color) are a must try here. They have a compact yet springy texture and smells aromatic with the addition of minced lemongrass. Simply delightful to the palate.
Flying Chillies Halal Thai Restaurant @ The Gardens
Mar 1st
There are only a few Thai restaurants in The Gardens. Flying Chillies is expensive but suitable for people who are dining in groups. Rak Thai (lower ground floor) on the other hand is cheaper in comparison and has more individual set meals. But avoid the latter because their food is a joke. It was so bad that none of us managed to finish the so-called signature dishes at Rak Thai. So if you’re craving for Thai food while shopping here, you could either head to the food court for the cheaper Thai food stalls or you could splurge at Flying Chillies.
We started off with the highly recommended appetizer here, Mieng Kam @ RM21.50, a traditional Thai appetizer that combines various ingredients as fillings for the betel leaves. If you are unsure of how to eat it, the staff would gladly show you the way.
Starting with a betel leaf, it is rolled into a pocket shape. Then ginger, shallots, roasted peanut, coconut, bird’s eye chili and dried shrimps are added into the leaf according to your personal liking. And lastly, spoon a generous dollop of the tangy sauce on top and you are sure to experience a burst of flavor later. If you are new to this, lower your expectations and you might enjoy it more.
Sara Thai Kitchen by Wan Seafood & Tomyam @ Jalan Gambut, Kuantan
Jan 5th
Was at Kuantan a few days ago and had an awesome seafood meal at Sara Thai Kitchen. It was sheer luck that we stumbled upon this popular Thai restaurant among the locals, as our hotel was only a stone’s throw away. Being a coastal town, seafood is abundance and fresh. Best of all the dishes are so affordable and may I even say cheap! You simply won’t get this kind of pricing in KL.
Ikan Siakap Goreng Tiga Rasa @ RM30. The fish was done perfectly with a crispy outside while retaining its its soft, flaky texture inside. Its size was huge, enough to be shared among 4-5 people and very fresh without any hint of farmed taste.
Siakap is one of the most popular fishes in Thai cuisine, usually steamed in a garlic lime juice (Sara Thai Kitchen’s signature style) But since we already had a steamed fish in our last dinner we decided to try a different style. The sweet, sour and spicy the sauce combined with the natural sweetness of the fish creates an appetizing flavor that would leave you asking for more.
