Cha Thai Review: A Finer Taste of Thai Food

During my holidays in Sydney 2 years ago, I remember queuing to eat my favourite Thai food at Chat Thai every day, and sometimes even twice a day, as we stayed at the service apartment just above Chat Thai at Campbell Street! I was quite sad that Chat Thai do not have any branches in Singapore.

Although Cha Thai is not related to Chat Thai in Sydney, Cha Thai manages to create high quality Thai food to suit the modern palate without diluting its unique taste.

The owner of Cha Thai, Permsiri Sirijindapan, also affectionately knowns as Leah, would love to debunk some myths about authentic Thai food and set the record straight once and for all.

Many people think that Thai food is generally street food that comes at a cheap price but this is not true.

True blue authentic Thai food was really just cooking with palm or coconut sugar and coconut milk but times have changed and no one would want to eat Thai food like this if they are cooked in the “authentic” way.

Leah’s love for culinary arts has gotten her admitted into top culinary schools in France and Thailand, such that she is able to create East meets West dishes using the West’s technology while maintaining the East’s Traditions, bringing Thai food to a higher level.

For a truly refreshing and special drink, try the Iced Butterfly Pea Juice (the purple drink, $3.90) which changes colour upon addition of an acid (lemon juice).

Hence, do not be shocked when you see the prices on the menu. Cha Thai uses premium quality ingredients, along with traditional (noted not authentic) recipes cooked with modern cooking techniques to bring out the finer taste of Thai food.

The food portions are also larger as they are meant for sharing as food tasted best when shared with friends.

Dips, sauces, pastes, gravies, milk teas, drinks and curry bases are all made from scratch (no pre-mixes) using Thai ingredients and condiments. Fresh seafood are sourced locally from kelongs for freshness and meats are cooked sous vide to achieve fork-tenderness.

Crispy Prawn Cake ($15)

Cha Thai uses tiger prawns for their prawn cakes and all their prawn dishes. The prawn cakes at Cha Thai were crispy and filled with generous and succulent prawn meat.

Creamy Crab Roll ($15)

Lemongrass Prawn Salad ($28)

This does not look like the typical Thai salad you would find in other Thai restaurants with huge tiger prawns and their special lemongrass and meat dressing.

Green Mango Salad ($16)

Cha Thai do not use any lime/lemon in their Green Mango Salad as the green mango is already sour by itself. Beware, this is quite a spicy dish and I had to order another glass of cold drink ($2.90) to “extinguish the fire”.

Signature Tiger Prawn ‘Panang’ Curry ($28)

While their Green Curry tasted pretty ordinary just like in any good Thai restaurant out there, it is the Signature Tiger Prawn “Panang” Curry that really stands out at Cha Thai.

With thick and luscious curry made using Fingerroot as one of its ingredients, the Panang Curry uses fresh lychees instead of sugar for its natural sweetness which helps to balance the spiciness in this dish.

Thai Curry Soft Shell Crab ($28)

This is one of my favourite dish here (centre) with its generous serving of soft shell crabs in Thai Curry.

Garlic Chicken with Bird’s Chilli ($18)

If you could take the spiciness, try eating the chicken together with the bird’s chilli, which may be small but pack lots of fiery power! You have been warned!

Tiger Prawns Claypot Glass Noodles $55 (for 4 pax)

The smooth texture of the peppery glass noodles with juicy tiger prawns cooked in claypot is enough to whet anyone’s appetite.

Pad Thai ($22)

Emerald Jade (green ruby) & Red Ruby ($8)

Sweet Corn Herbal Jelly ($8), Sweet Potato ($8), Melon Sago ($8) & Tropical Paradise (mango sticky rice) ($12)

Charcoal Toast ($8)

We love the Charcoal Toast here which is crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside and goes so well with the Pandan sauce and Thai Milk Tea sauce, although we think that the pandan sauce complements the Charcoal Toast better.

Mountain Milo ($8)

Although a tad sweet, I would definitely order this again. The crackers on the Mountain Milo tasted like crisp papadums to me.

I have never eaten so many tiger prawns in one meal before and was truly satisfied. Leah says,”I want my customers to enjoy high quality Thai food, no compromise at all.” This explains the higher prices here and I would definitely pay for high quality food, anytime. 🙂

Cha Thai
80 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 048466  (Telok Ayer MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

Contact: 6636 9696

Website

Facebook

You might also like:

Spicy Thai-Thai Café Review: All Passionate about Authentic Thai Cuisine Street 50 Restaurant & Bar Review: The Singapore Food Story Street 50 Restaurant & Bar: The Great Singapore Savour with Local Street Food Bangkok Food: Ban Khun Mae, Sabx2 Wanton Noodles & T&K Seafood Why You Should Order from Dine Inn for a Taste of Home Cooked Goodness