First published in Bangalore Mirror
I realised recently that if you want to save on the time and expense of international travel, and yet explore the cuisine of Southeast Asia, all you have to do is travel from one end of 12th Main to the other – The Fatty Bao, Mamagoto, One Night in Bangkok, Phobidden Fruit! These establishments though, are largely gastro pubs, and barring very few exceptions, end up costing as much as that international trip! And thus I wondered how a Thai restaurant on CMH road would play it. Though on the main road, it’s pretty well hidden, and the presence of a clinic on the ground floor might intimidate or assuage, depending on how you see it. (map) Perched on the top floor, its terrace section easily outscores the indoor option. So much so that we saw people waiting for a spot outside, even though there were tables vacant inside! The high roof, the Buddha, all lend a certain sense of calm, and with the kind of weather we’re having, the ambiance outside is spot on for a good dining experience. It also manages to minimise the potential damage that can be caused by “Hits of MLTR” playing in a loop.
The weather was just right for a hot bowl of soup, so Tom Yum Gai it was. Though it was the clear soup that was on the menu, they offered to give it a coconut milk finishing touch. We could never say no to that! The soup had distinct hot and sour notes, with a touch of tang. Overall, a fantastic way to begin a meal. The Raw papaya and mango salad (we asked for a mix) that came next was also a melange of flavours – a little bit of spice, some sour, and just the right amount of salt. The Stir Fried Prawn though, was very clear on its dominant flavour – chilli heat! The curry paste was pretty relentless. The Steamed Hammour Fish Fillet that came next continued the act. Superbly cooked bass with a ‘merciless’ sauce. It was fun to watch the two ladies in the group slurping the sauce, with tears in their eyes! It was spicy, but too tasty for them to stop! In the midst of all this, the Diced Chicken in Oyster Sauce provided a no-nonsense approach – well cooked chicken, just a tad spicy, with its own slurp value.
The drinks menu consists of wines and wine based cocktails and we decided to try a few from the latter. The Strawberry Zin actually had key roles beyond the taste. It was light and refreshing, with the wine just barely around, but was a very pretty-looking drink. It also played a major hand in the fire-fighting exercise involving the starters! The Tom Yum Thai Long Drive was lime and a dash of sweet’n’sour. Shirley Temple took her time to arrive, and was essentially a sangria without the chopped fruits. Just average.
Typically, the starters would have left us quite stuffed, but the good news was that they were light on the stomach. We began the main course with Meatballs (chicken) with chicken noodles. Despite the garlic and soy sauce, this actually left a mild sweet aftertaste. No one complained though, it offered a welcome respite from the spice attack. The Delicate Thai Coconut Cream curry was fantastic – a curry version of the Tom Kha soup – and worked splendidly with the sticky rice. The Green Curry (veg) was made very well too, with basil, capsicum and eggplant all working very well together. We were divided on the presence of the pea aubergine though. I thought the bitterness and texture added to the dish, but was outvoted! We also ordered an omelette with chicken mince on a whim, but it turned out to be a surprisingly good one, and provided some ‘solidity’ to the main course. Now would be a good time to mention the service folk – they really know the dishes they serve, and the best combinations.
Desserts? Well, if you insist. The main course ensured that we were full, and since the choices consisted only of four flavours of ice cream, we decided to give it a miss. Pro tip: Stoner is nearby 😀
A couple of cocktails, a couple of non veg starters, and two main course dishes would cost you less than Rs.2000, inclusive of taxes. Except for the little whine for the delay in the Temple construction, the entire experience left nothing to complain about. The food was really splendid, and so was the ambiance. We really liked the attentive and knowledgeable service folk too. When you’re in the mood for good food, with a fair amount of spice involved, but without the frill of gastropubs, Thai it out!
Tom Yum Thai, 725, 4th Floor, Above Clinrad Diagnostic Center, Defence Colony, CMH Road, Indiranagar, Ph: 49652962