Streat Thai By Viktor Chong viktorchong@thestar.com.my S treat Thai boasts a team of cooks and baristas from illustrious Thai cities, such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.
Not only that, the creative restaurant layout seamlessly transports diners to the bustling streets of Thailand. The ambience and atmosphere were on point, but the illusion was quickly unravelled by the lunch crowd that was positively multiracial.
Like all good Malaysians, few could deny the promise of good food, and Street Thai does not disappoint.
Thai Papaya Salad Also known as the Som Tam, the papaya salad is a fine catalyst to whet one’s appetite.
This green spread consists of shredded unripe papaya seasoned to a primarily sour flavour.
It is further accompanied by cherry tomatoes, razor-thin slices of carrots and a few leaves of lettuce for freshness.
The hint of fish sauce and lime, in addition to the original mix, creates the endearing trinity of taste—sweet, sour and salty.
It is the perfect opener, paving the way for more to come.
Pad Thai The Pad Thai is a strong contender to our Malaysian counterpart, the Char Koew Teow.
It takes a distinctive twist with the added tofu and the usage of a slimmer version of the flat-rice noodle.
You can also turn this fairly benign noodle into a sweat-inducing meal by ladling it with creamy Tom Yam soup, which is next on our menu.
Tom Yam Creamy Soup with Mixed Seafood and Chicken A Thai course is never complete without its classic, the Tom Yam.
This signature steamy soup comes with a marriage between seafood and poultry, and we were surprised by the generous amount of ingredients.
The soup is replete with cuttlefish, coupled with chunks of chicken meat that lends to it a gamey flavour.
Despite its fearsome appearance, this Tom Yam straddles a fine point—by not being too spicy to scare off the faint-hearted, while proudly retaining its identity.
Amber Occupying a quiet corner in the Nexus is Amber, a Chinese Muslim restaurant.
Despite its reserved location, Amber pulls a formidable crowd during peak hours, making it a loud place indeed.
Long tables could be seen stretching to the far end, facilitating the gathering of large families.
It gets particularly busy during the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan with the buffet offers in place. To the corner lay a couple of smaller tables, suggesting a setting for a more subdued crowd, or perhaps, a romantic session for two.
Also, one could witness some acrobatics through the glass that separates the dining hall from the kitchen.
There, the Chinese noodle masters are at work, beating, folding and pulling the dough into hair-thin noodles, which make up the restaurant’s signature dish. Hand-pulled Noodle with Beef The hand-pulled noodle is both a culinary experience as well as an education on the finer details of noodle making.
Take a fork-full of the noodle and be captivated by the texture.
Generic, factory-made noodles do not compare against the meticulously pulled noodle.
The texture is smooth and silky, giving a good feel in the mouth before making a slippery and pleasant beeline down the throat.
Coming hand-to-hand with the noodle is the herbal soup, which is an equally delightful convention of spices, fresh beef and cubed white carrots. Roasted Lamb Chops Chili, spice and fine marinating skill make a play with the roasted lamb chops.
A sprinkle of sesame seed tops the dish, lending to it a slightly nutty taste.
The succulent flesh is trim, and it yields easily to the bite, spewing forth juice that accentuates the flavour.
Chinese Mixed Tea with Wolfberry This unique tea, besides being a good antioxidant, gives off a compelling floral smell.
It is no surprise considering the myriad ingredients within; among them are wolfberry, chrysanthemum, and dates.
This charming drink is also unconventionally sweetened through the usage of rock sugar.
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