[CLOSED] Cha Thai – Version 3.0 [MEDIA INVITE]

Cha Thai

Cha Thai recently celebrated their 2^nd Birthday. To be able to survive and thrive in Singapore CBD for more than 2 years definitely no simple feat. Cha Thai simply prove that Singapore market can appreciate Quality Thai Food served here.

Gearing towards the 3^rd year, Owner and Executive Chef Leah Sirijindapan has been active in creating new cuisine, while retaining the old time favourites. You can check out our first review of Cha Thai here.

Signature Tiger Prawn “Panang” Curry ($28). One of the signature dishes at Cha Thai. The tiger prawns cooked in rich creamy curry and lychee. A touch of saffron adds the extra OOMPH to this dish. Previously, the prawns are cooked to about 85% so you can taste the “Uni” like mushiness in the prawns. Unfortunately, Cha Thai customers still unable to accept this so Chef Leah relented and cooked the prawn to 100%.

Signature Tiger Prawn “Panang” Curry

For those who like their prawns to have the texture like the BBQ river prawns in Thailand, you might want to let the service staff know you want “the original” version when you order, as we will definitely order the original version on our next trip there.

Part of the starters Creamy Crab Roll ($15) & Crispy Prawn Cake ($15). The crispy crab roll consist of deep fried spring roll sticks served with the crab cream sauce. The sticks are crispy to be eaten with rich, creamy crab cream sauce. Thai version of chips with dips.

Creamy Crab Roll

The crispy prawn cake is made in house at Cha Thai. It's crisp exterior followed by springy juicy succulent chopped prawns internally. It is served with sweet sauce however, it is tasty enough on its own.

Crispy Prawn Cake 

For the Cha Thai soup, we tried Tom Kha Chicken Soup ($18) and Tom Yum Soup – Thick Base ($28 with soup refill). Creamy and milky coconut soup that filled with the aroma spice of galangal, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, serving together with chicken, mushrooms and cabbages. Tom Kha Chicken Soup is not that spicy but you have to watch out for the floating bird's eye chillies.

Tom Kha Chicken Soup

With many Thai restaurants always trying to compete for its spiciness in their Tom Yum Soup, the one in Cha Thai is much better, as their soup base is thick and aromatic with its spices, and the flavour of the soup is filled with the freshness taste of the enormous huge tiger prawns and plump mussels. Two thumbs up for those who love the original Thai Tom Yum Kung.

Tom Yum Soup – Thick Base

Simmer Pork ($22). This is the upgraded version of Thai style pork knuckle. Chef Leah sous vide the pork knuckles marinated with Ovaltine over long period. Yes, apparently, Ovaltine is the secret to pork stew in Thailand. The result is the fall of the bone pork legs and evenly marination that penetrated meat and skin. Yum Yum!!

Simmer Pork

Tiger Prawns Glass Noodle Claypot ($55). This is the refined version compare to the one served in Thailand. The claypot is oiled nicely with pork lard and the rest of the ingredients cooked with herbs, ginger, pepper and spring onions. The glass noodle is silky, springy and soaks up the flavour of the prawns and spices. The prawns are fresh and crunchy. Some might say it can do with more pepper corn, but we find it to be just right.

Tiger Prawns Glass Noodle Claypot

Of course, you can't miss out on their Pad Thai ($22). The al-dente rice noodle cooked with prawn broth and infused with sweet and tangy flavour. The large dried prawns add a solid umami taste to the dish while the sides of peanuts, green mango and raw bean sprouts to add the crunchy texture to this dish. The Pad Thai comes with a large tiger prawn, to add to the WOW feel in this dish.

Pad Thai

This time around we tried their Boat Noodle ($18). A luxurious version of Boat Noodle. The thick soup base is boiled over a long period with more than 15 type of herbs. The result is thick, rich, robust and gelatinous broth that will make you slurping for more. The rice noodle is thin and crunchy goes well with succulent pork. One heck of delicious noodle indeed.

Boat Noodle

Boat Noodle

Desserts were Yam Taro Coconut Sago ($6.90) and Red Ruby Coconut Granita ($6.90). Both homemade desserts use coconut milk, the Red Ruby has crunchy and refreshing texture, while the yam taro has creamy and mushy feel to it. It depends on what your liking, I personally like their red ruby.

Red Ruby Coconut Granita

Yam Taro Coconut Sago

Not forgetting Signature Cha Thai Toast ($8). Their new version comes with cube Charcoal Toast instead of just the Golden Toast. The dippings are Pandan and Thai Tea. The golden toast has a slightly charred flavour that goes well both dipping sauce. However, the charcoal toast has a deeper bitter charred flavour that brings up extra sweetness in the dipping sauces.

Signature Cha Thai Toast

It was actually a pleasant evening during this invited tasting at Cha Thai. Chef Leah and her team still cook luxurious and delicious Thai Cuisine that they made from scratch. No doubt the price here is higher than normal Thai restaurant, but considering the quality that Cha Thai served you, it is definitely worth your money. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to HungryGoWhere and Cha Thai team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N / A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

Cha Thai

80 Telok Ayer Street

Singapore 048466

T: +65 6636 3696

F: https://www.facebook.com/chathaisg

IG: @Chathaisg

OH: 08.00 – 22.00 Daily