PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAIt’s the new kid on the block – well, one of them – and it’s already making friends. The name pretty much says it all at Yum Thai. This new Dickson restaurant is already drawing a crowd from bustling Woolley Street, with diners all and sundry supping merrily in the cosy, immaculate space. While the restaurant only seats about forty-seven, the modern floor space never feels cramped or crowded, with the mute decor and wide, yearning windows lending themselves to the feeling of airiness and laid-back buoyancy.
The interior features an eclectic mix of old and new, East and West: gilded wooden figurines stand alongside mounted displays of live fish on the walls. The menu, however, while embracing the occasional deviation, is brimming with all the tried and true favourites of traditional Thai cuisine. With tart Tom Yum soup, thick noodles with assorted seafood, pungent green curries and meat dishes rich in lemongrass and coconut milk, it’s hardly any wonder that the restaurant has become so popular so quickly. The Chef Specials list includes some new takes on established dishes, such as the braised crocodile with chilli shrimp paste, or stir-fried veal with lime leaves, beans and curry paste. An assortment of vegetable curries, soups, and satays, along with several delectable salads, assures that vegetarians and dieters won’t go hungry. Polish it all off with a deep fried ice-cream or tropical Thai fruit salad and you’ll be booking yourself a table for every night of the week.
Stephanie Wang, December 2007
