Address: 391B Orchard Road, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City, #04-23, Singapore 238872

Touted as one of the more up-market Thai restaurants in Singapore, my girlfriend and I were keen to explore the menu there… though I hesitate to think of the damage it would inflict on my financial health.

The interior of the restaurant was bathed in a red colour theme. Quite unusual for a dining place. The intention was probably to match the gold-gilded sculptures and ornamental pieces that ordoned the walls. Smartly dressed waiters prowled the grounds… ready to pounce the moment any patron shows any intention to make a request.

The waiter was intuitive enough to skip asking if I wanted to order any beverages or alcohol. He proceeded to fill my glass with good old plain and free water. Thank goodness this was not one of those establishments that skoff at demands to stick to water for the beverage of choice.

You may have encountered snooty waiters at some “atas” (Malay slang for high class) restaurant who sneer “do you want mineral or frizzy?” in an attempt to con/embarrass the diner into opting for the exhobitantly priced mineral water there (perrier, evian…). My standard retort would of course be, “I prefer TAP water please.” Seriously, any restaurant manager that refuses to serve free water should be hanged and quartered. Considering that the water supply in Singapore is potable, I do not see how hard it is for any waiter to go to a tap and fill a glass of water for their patrons. Hopefully, the said waiter does not get too creative and infuse the drink with some of his own essence.

Our first dish was synonymous with Thai food, the Tom Yam Gung (S$16.50). The soup came in a silver pot of which the contents were more than sufficient for a party of two. Spicy, hot, tasty, excellent are words that best describe the clear liquid (other establishments may serve a milky soup version where coconut milk is added). Abundant amounts of prawn, button mushrooms and lemon grass filled the pot.

Our second dish was the Gang Bpet (or Roast Duck in Green Curry, S$17.50). The colour green is not normally associated with edible things (vegetables included, with particular reference to my mum’s “healthy, no need to add salt or seasoning”, lightly sauteed greens), nevermind delicacies. But Sabai’s Green Curry is very much edible. The Green Curry was sweetened with the addition of an un-identifiable fruit (I think it was apples) and given bulk with the roast duck meat. The gravy was surprising light, the coconut milk did not overwhelm the dish, and made good accompaniment to the fragrant Thai rice (S$2.50 per person, free flow). A surprise was that they provided a side of fried cured fish. I am unsure if this was an innovation thought of by the chef or it is indeed a traditional Thai way of sampling the dish. The curry made a good dip for the crispy fish.

For our last order, I was intrigued by an item described in the menu as minced meat and prawn wrapped in tofu and supported by quite a lengthy exposition on the virtues of this dish. I thus went for the Tung Thong (S$16.50).

I found to my dismay that the dish was fried wanton/dumplings. in fact, dismay was quite an understatement. The most expensive collection of decidedly non-Thai wantons had just been presented to me. If I had wanted to eat wantons, I would have gone to my neighbourhood food stall and ordered my fried wanton noodles at $3. My agony was compounded by the realisation that the menu description was accurate - it was indeed minced meat and prawns wrapped in tofu skin. Damn you people who write creative anecdotes to trump up the attractiveness of ordinary menu items!!! Call a spade a spade!! Arrgghhhh…

That said, the Tung Thong (or Golden Bag in Thai…I didn’t see the humour when I found out the translation) was acceptable. A sweet and sour dip was provided.

We had no stomach left for dessert but I understand that the restaurant offers a dessert buffet (anyone can confirm this?).

Sabai serves excellent food, though prices at on the steep side. I recommend the place if you have moolah to splurge. Though please do careful reading of the menu prior to exercising your choices.

Last word of caution, besides the mints in the above picture, nothing else is edible. I almost wanted to pop the leaf and flower petal arrangement in my mouth…thank goodness my brighter partner stopped me.