Thai Village Restaurant

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Thank you very much to Ian Low (The Silver Chef), May & Phillip from Thai Village Group for hosting the food tasting invitation.My memories of my first visit to Bangkok were the sumptuous dinner that I had in Yaowarat Road, Chinatown. Where you can smell the food in the air from street food such as wanton mee, bbq seafood or more exquisite Teochew influenced dish such as Shark Fin soup, bird nest, stewed goose web and suckling pig.Inspired by Thai Teochew Cuisine, Thai Village Restaurants bring these flavours to Singapore, China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Showcasing their specialities which includes: Braised Shark's Fin, Abalone Rice, baked crab with vermicelli and baked salt chicken.We started our dinner with individual braised Superior Shark's Fin with Crab Meat ($65 for small). Each diners got individual solid serving of the shark fin soup. The broth are thick, robust and flavourful. The shark fins came from Spain and I have to say it does not have any fishy smell. I did not even any vinegar in my soup, which you will normally do to cover the overwhelming smell. The bean sprout and crab meat provide different texture to the dish. Yum Yum!Braised duck web ($20 per serving). The original version of this dish supposed to be braised goose web. However due to the restriction of goose meat in Singapore, duck webs are used as substitute. Presentation wise, it does not look very appetising. However, do not judge the dish by the look. It pack of flavours and has a resilient texture. The duck web is gelatinous, but not as good as goose web.Deluxe Cold Dish ($70 for large), not a common dish that I will order unless at a wedding banquet or reunion dinner. The octopus has a sweet and springy texture. The chicken is slightly though for my liking. However the deluxe fruit salads which contains strawberry, honeydew melon and apple are refreshing. The shrimp roll is crispy and their version of ngo hiang with salted eggs and lap cheong is tasty and unique.Baked Crab with Vermicelli ($72 for large). This dish has a Thai Teochew Food signature all over it. All the vermicelli is well coated with the robust gravy. The aroma arises from the pork lard and herbs used, but the best part it does not look oily at all. The crabs were fresh and cooked to perfection. Delicious.Cheese Baked Lobster ($14 / 100 gram). We were served half portion each and the lobster is quite huge in size, fresh and meaty. The cheese used are subtle and really complement the dish instead of overpowering the freshness of the seafood. At first, I only ate the meat using the fork and knife. Halfway through, I decided to forget about the cutleries, all fingers are on deck and leaving the trail of exoskeleton for the aftermath.Pan-fried Japanese Wagyu Beef ($176 for large); Cubed, cooked with sliced garlic and served with diced mushrooms. If there is a word Beefgasm, this will be the right time to use it. The wagyu beef is so tender it just melts in your mouth. Together with the sliced garlic and cubed mushrooms, it is just unforgettable.Baked Cod Fish ($60 for large) is another dish that might not look so appealing. It look charred, however this charred seal the juice inside the cod fish and provide a different texture to the fatty, yet silky smooth meat of a cod fish. The sauce was just right and it will be nice to have it with a bowl of rice.Chinese Spinach with Superior Broth ($12 for small). We were almost full at this point and we actually want to skip this dish. However we decided on a smaller portion instead. The spinach are fresh and the broth of robust. The eggs coated the spinach well enough and add the salty flavour to this dish.Abalone Rice ($33 per serving for 3 to 4 person). Served using a whole abalone from Australia and large shiitake mushrooms. The same broth as the shark fin soup is used to bind this dish together. It is a good comfort food, or I should say luxurious comfort dish.Of course for Teochew Cuisine, the dinner will not be complete without Yam Paste (Orh Nee) with Ginko Nuts - $5 per serving. Individually steamed with a nice presentation. The Orh Nee looks rough in granules form, however this is what orh nee lovers are looking for. It has a nice bite and texture to it. The pumpkin and ginko add another layer to the dish brought together nicely by the coconut milk.The décor of the place is slightly traditional yet classy in a way. The dining area are bright and the distance between tables are quite spacious. When you enter through the main door, the wine fridge provide a classy divider between the main dining area and the reception.Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the food and the faultless execution of the dishes. Foodgasm, of course. Price can be on the high side, but you are paying for quality. Thanks to the awesome dinner, I did not try to find any food during my red eye flight to Taipei that night. Yum Yum, Cheers!!For the complete Chubby Botak Koala dining experience, click here:http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2014/12/thai-village.html continue reading

Full Thai Village Restaurant review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2014/12/thai-village-restaurant-tasting-session.htmlDespite its name, Thai Village Restaurant doesn't specialise in Thai cuisine, rather, they offer Chinese Teochew cuisine that has elements of Thai influence. Established in 1991, Thai Village Restaurant has since grown internationally, but their restaurant managers tell us they still get confused customers wandering in to order Tom Yum Soup or Green Curry Chicken (No, they don't have these on the menu).Name aside, Thai Village Restaurant has the ambience of a fine Chinese restaurant, exuding an elegant Oriental sophistication that is modern, but not gaudy. Brightly lit, with clean lines, and comfortable modern furniture and tableware in colours of white and maroon, set within a spacious layout. Thai Village Restaurant retains the traditional Chinese seafood display, with live fish and seafood in large, clear glass tanks that provide a focal point. Decor of modern paintings / art pieces adorn the walls, while a central wine chiller commands attention at their entrance. I noticed however, that sound tends to carry within the restaurant, which means it can get noisy during busy periods.I find staff at Thai Village Restaurant to be well trained, efficient in service, and polite. Very welcoming, they offer greetings upon entry, and provide discreet service tableside. Empty or dirty plates are quickly cleared, drinks are regularly topped up without asking, and portioning of dishes is also done quickly and fairly. While not all of them can accurately describe how a dish is prepared, they know enough to answer general questions, and will assist to check for more details.The menu at Thai Village Restaurant is predominately Chinese fine dining / premium Zi Char style, with a focus on Teochew cuisine, featuring clean, light flavours. The twist is the inclusion of Thai ingredients and flavours, which makes their Thai-Teochew cuisine one of the earliest examples of fusion food in Singapore. Communal dining is encouraged, as portions are large, typically meant for at least 3 or more people. And as a fine dining restaurant using premium ingredients, prices reflect the high quality they offer, so be prepared to splurge when dining here. Budget between SGD $70 - $130 per person for a meal at Thai Village Restaurant.For years, the Braised Superior Shark's Fin With Crab Meat (SGD $65 Small, $130 Large) has been the star highlight of the restaurant. Packed with a generous amount of ingredients, including fresh deshelled crab meat, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, and Chinese parsley, traditionalists will be pleased with the large portion of soft shark's fin, imported from Spain. However, greater environmental and sustainable awareness in recent years have greatly impacted the sale of this dish, and it has fallen out of favour with the general public of Singapore. Fortunately, Thai Village Restaurant has a lot more to offer in terms of seafood.Loved how pretty the Deluxe Cold Dish (SGD $42 Small, $70 Large) was in presentation! Individually, I loved the crispness of the spring rolls, the unique salted egg with a potato coat, and the freshness of the salad prawns with sweet, diced strawberries. The cold poached drunken chicken had decent flavour, although I thought the texture was slightly tough, and the marinated seasoned baby octopus was rather average.We agreed the Baked Lobster With Cheese (SGD $14 per 100 grams) was incrediblely lovely! The lobster is so fresh, very meaty, totally juicy and succulent! The creamy, slightly buttery, delicate flesh pairs well with the melted cheese, creating an amazing fragrance. Chef Hau Ee Boon hasn't messed too much with the lobster, allowing the clean, natural taste to shine. Baked with a combination of 3 types of chees (cheddar, parmesan, and brie), this is like a Singapore version of a lobster thermidor. Feel so indulgent eating this, highly recommended!The king oyster mushrooms in the Pan-Fried Japanese Wagyu Beef With Mushrooms (SGD $88 Small, $176 Large) are almost unrecognisable as mushrooms, looking more like roast potatoes! But they're soft, tender, and savoury from being cooked in the meat juices, and when paired with the equally soft and tender beef, the combination is excellent. The beef is the real star on this dish, tender, with a slight bouncy texture in the mouth, evidence of the authentic high quality Japanese wagyu. Well worth the price too, I understand this quality cut of beef costs more elsewhere! Highly recommended! continue reading