Do Dee Paidang, Haymarket

It has been a while since our last post, and I'm finally back from Singapore! But more about that later.

 

Thai food has always been an international favourite. It's probably the most eaten take away across the country but its not easy to find somewhere authentic. I haven't been to Thailand but expats have said this place is pretty real. You'll certainly notice the menu isn't what you'd expect from you're typical run-of-the-mill Thai eatery. 

Thai ice milk tea $3.50

Let's start with the drink. Nothing puts out a burning flame like an icy glass of milk tea. The perfect sweet and cold accompaniment to spicy dishes. 

Do Dee Monster (Tom Yum Spicy Noodle) Level 1 $4.90

I've been warned by a number of blogs this place does serious chilli. When Do Dee Paidang says 'spicy', it means business. So we played it safe, and stuck to the level 1 and 2. And I'm glad I did because even the level 1 had me grabbing at my milk tea and chewing on the ice cubes. Spiciness aside, it was delicious!! Umami, sour, full of texture!

Do Dee Devil (Tom Yum Spicy Noodle) Level 2 $4.90

Uncle G tried the level 2 - which made me cry - but he described it as 'the peak of an enjoyable chilli experience'. Uncle G plans to try level 3 next time just for a challenge! 

I liked the small serving size too. You can opt for the large, but the small bowl meant we could save room to try other stuff.

Do Dee Secret (Secret) $5.90

It's funny how if you don't know what it is, it automatically intrigues you. So we ordered the Do Dee Secret.

The Secret! Or not so secret...

Ta da!! And here's the great reveal! Which we have to agree was slightly disappointing as this was simply the Do Dee Nursery covered in a big piece of vegetable? It was tasty none the less. Although I found the spicy versions give the noodles the extra edge it needed to make it special.

Soft boiled rice with Salmon

Aside from noodles, we also tried the rice. The soup stock was very similar in flavour but with added corriander. The rice was still firm, which I enjoyed but I understand why some might find this dish a bit confusing - as its not really congee, just rice swimming in soup.

Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what this dish is... But I'm certain its some form of deep friend meat ball/patty thing. It was bouncy and tasty! A great entree if sharing with friends but probably a little dry if you were having the whole thing to yourself.

Fresh Spring Roll Duck (rice paper rolls filled with BBQ duck,
cucumbers, lettuces, egg, mint, shallots, cabbage w homemade sauce) $9.90

We really enjoyed these rice paper rolls. Maybe its because we only had one piece each? And it tasted a bit like peking duck but hoisin + duck + veges is always a winning combo!

Tum Tard (Som Tum Thai with vegetables and meat) $19.90

One of the highlights of the night was the Tum Tard. Just looking at the platter screams excitement!!! There's a bit of everything and its all so delicious. I especially loved the deep fried school prawns (which can be ordered separately) and the pork crackling. The extra bits and pieces gave the Som Tum extra depth and was great fun to share.

Definitely something I would order again with a group.

We were sat next to the dessert bar, so by the end of the meal the temptation was all too great. The only problem remaining was which ones to choose?

Mango with Sticky Rice $7

Black Sticky Rice with Taro $5.50

Fried Bread with Pandan Custard (4 pcs) $5.50

My favourite of these 3 desserts would be the Fried Bread. This reminded me of a cross between Asian fried dough and a donut. They were fluffy, crispy, freshly fried and piping hot. I liked that they weren't overly sweet or oily. The sticky rice with mango and black sticky rice with taro were good too. But probably not special compared to other thai joints around the area.

Overall, I would definitely visit this place again, especially with friends but its also great for a lunch alone. The dishes are not only delicious, authentic but great value for money.

Hong Kong: Thai Simple Kitchen 泰簡單, Causeway Bay

Hidden in the back streets off SOGO and directly above the President Cinema in Causeway Bay, there lies an inconspicuous Thai restaurant. Entry to the restaurant is accessible by lift from a small walkway off the street and you're sure to not lose your way as the restaurant's name placed next to the '3' lift button.

The entrance to the restaurant is lined by Thai statues and dim/ambient lighting rules across the restaurant. They also have an external table seating, surrounded by fairy lights, which can be viewed from the inside through large floor-to-ceiling windows - at first I didn't realise and started freaking out when I noticed something moving on the other side of the window behind my seat -__-".

The menu is rather extensive and filled with colourful pictures so you'll need to spend some time flipping through it and ponder over what to eat. Having never eaten here before, I left most of the ordering duties to my two local friends.

Left: Mixed Satay Skewers (Chicken, Beef, Pork); Garlic Bread (4 for HK$30)
Middle: Pomelo Salad with Peanuts and Pork Floss
Right: Fried Seafood Rice in Pineapple, topped with Sultanas and Pork Floss (HK$75)

The satay skewers - well marinated and soft - came with mini toasts, fresh green salad and a peanut sauce (can be refilled on request). I had never tried pomelo before but fortunately the pomelo salad left a pleasing experience - it was light and refreshing amongst the other flavour-intense dishes. The fried rice was nothing spectatular, aside from it being served in a hollowed-out pineapple, but they must seriously love their pork floss as it was adorning the fried rice as well as the pomelo salad.

Egg Omelette with Small Oysters

This is a classic Asian-style omelette that I remember having as a child - fluffy egg omelette filled with fresh oysters and shallots served on a bed of bean sprouts.

The highlight of the night was the soft shell crab (red) curry, which is served in a hollowed-out golden nugget pumpkin:

Soft Shell Crab Curry in Hollowed-Out Pumpkin (HK$118)

This was highly recommended by one of my friends and even though I'm not a big pumpkin fan, I was seriously impressed by the dish. Its presentation sort of resembles the traditional Eastern-Europe goulash in a massive hollowed-out bread bun but tastes so much better. As you're eating the curry, you can dig into the pumpkin flesh until all that's left is the thin layer of pumpkin skin (which eventually collapses because you've dug the life out of the pumpkin). It's definitely a dish that could be easily replicated at home and would surely impress dinner guests.

The downside to this restaurant was the service - it took forever to flag down waiters, whom were running around to accommodate the full restaurant.

If you visit, be sure to go early, or make a booking, and bring an empty stomach.

Link to Open Rice: Thai Simple Kitchen, Causeway Bay