Love Thai food? Join the club! If you’re looking for your fix of this popular Southeast Asian cuisine, there are a number of super-tasty Thai restaurants in Hong Kong. EL’s Kate Woodbury reviews three of them here.
Ruam Thai
This restaurant’s name comes from the Thai word for “gather”; it reflects the warm Thai welcome you get as you enter up a narrow staircase from Ship Street. There are two dining areas. Inside, the long room offers views of the partially open kitchen; we were seated outside in the garden. It’s a rustic and charming spot, reminiscent of an alfresco restaurant tucked down a quiet soi in Bangkok. There’s a fun and laid-back vibe here.
The staff are also super helpful and friendly, starting with manager Jeff who recommended we try a cocktail; we both chose Oh Yeahhh, a cheeky gin number infused with lemon and fresh ginger.
Turning our attention to the menu, there’s a “feedme” option perfect for group sharing – and great value at $298 per person. However, we opted for the à la carte menu, whose six sections offer a varied range of Thai food, including soups, salads, curries, meat and seafood dishes. The wine list has a good selection of reds and whites by the glass and bottle.
To start, we chose Kor Moo Yang ($118), grilled pork neck served with a spicy jim jaew sauce, and Gai Ping ($98), perfectly charred succulent chicken thigh skewers with a delicious peanut sauce balanced with tangy arjad (cucumber and chilli). These two dishes hit all the right notes: spicy, sweet, salty and sour.
The evening’s showstopper was the Gaeng Massaman Ka Gae ($284), slowcooked fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks in a rich Massaman curry with potatoes. The flaky roti paracha was the perfect accompaniment to soak up the decadent sauce. Another favourite was Gai Pad Med Ma Muang ($158) – stir-fried chicken and cashews served with steamed rice, simple yet delicious. This one isn’t particularly spicy, so ask the team if you prefer more heat.
One top tip: leave room for dessert. We had the Banana Roti ($88), which came drizzled with chocolate and served with coconut ice cream. Delicious!
1/F, J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
3160 8535 | ruam-thai.com
Baan Thai
Tucked away behind HKU MTR station, this is Hong Kong’s second Baan Thai restaurant and a true neighbourhood gem. The striking white elephant mural outside and a cheery “Sawadee ka!” as we arrived gave us a hint of what to expect. Inside, the restaurant is cosy, with Thai-inspired art and pendulum lights adding to the eclectic look.
The kitchen is headed by Thai native Nutcha Fon and offers favourites inspired by Siam cuisine; there are plenty of vegetarian options, too – good news for my veggie dining pal. She lived in Thailand for many years and quickly slipped back into the language while chatting with our waitress.
Drinks at Baan Thai are well thought out, and luckily for us, head sommelier MJ was in the house; she offered to pair a few cocktails and wines with our dishes. Who were we to argue? Within minutes, MJ arrived with one of her signatures, Sora Thai ($108). This complex cocktail combines sake, elderflower, yuku and orange bitters, topped up with prosecco.
Food-wise, we started with Fried Fish Cakes ($98) – served with a spicy dipping sauce and clearly freshly made – and the Spicy Papaya Salad ($108), crunchy with a zesty citrus kick. MJ then brought over two more cocktails; Passionately Yours ($108) is a vodka-based drink with just the right amount of sweetness and tartness. But our outright favourite of the night was the Thai Ginger Collins ($118), a rereshing Thai twist on the classic gin cocktail.
Next came the knockout dish of the night, the Vegetarian Green Curry ($138), a well-balanced coconut broth with those “big four” flavours: sweet, sour, spicy, salty. As far as Thai food goes, this is certainly one of the best curries we’ve eaten in HK!
We also had a light and fragrant Pad Thai with Prawn ($158) and the vegetarian version of Lamb Shank Massaman Curry ($238); the latter featured perfectly cooked veggies in a peanut-flavoured sauce. (I’ll be back to try the lamb!) Mango Sticky Rice ($88) was a fitting finale, and it matched well with a sweet muscat wine, which followed the glasses of light and fruity pinot noir and well-rounded shiraz we’d enjoyed earlier.
G/F, One South Lane, No. 1 South Lane Shek Tong Tsui, Sai Wan
2739 9188 | baanthai.hk
Sip Song
If you’ve missed sipping a cold beer and nibbling on satay by the Andaman Sea, Sip Song is about the closest most of us can get right now! This bright beachside eatery and bar is situated at The Pulse and captures the laid-back Thai beach vibe nicely.
Sip Song means “12” in Thai, pertaining to the 12 essential Thai ingredients that feature in the menu. There’s a solid offering of small plates on offer, and more substantial dishes ideal for sharing.
First up, we chose Roti Kor Muu Yang Prik Pow ($95) – aka “Don’t Tell Mom”. This roti comes smothered in a delicious chilli jam and piled with barbecued pork neck, fresh herbs and crispy shallots. Shared between the three of us, it was a great start. The Charcoal Grilled Chicken Skewers ($85) also didn’t disappoint. We were intrigued by Kai Loog Keuy ($65), or “Thai Son-in-Law Scotch Egg”; it’s a playful take on the classic.
Keaw Waan Gai ($145) is a free-range chicken curry with baby eggplant, lots of fresh chilli and super fragrant Thai basil. It got the big thumbs up from our teen. The Stir-Fried Minced Chicken ($145), with basil, beans, mushrooms, Thai-style fried egg and jasmine rice was another solid choice.
To finish, try the Roti Kluay ($85): two roti pancakes filled with sliced banana, condensed milk and Nutella, and served with coconut ice cream. The drinks menu offers fun, classic cocktails with Thai flavours; the Ling King Boozy Shaved Ice ($95) caught our attention for next time. There’s also a modest wine list, with five whites and three reds.
The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay
2328 8383 | sip-song.com
Also…
Looking for more great Thai food in Hong Kong? See our review of Will Meyrick’s Monsoon restaurant, which features a range of Southeast Asian dishes, including some highly recommended Thai options!
This article first appeared in the Autumn 2021 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
