Royal Thai — At Least Once In A Lifetime

The wait is short at the  Royal Thai Restaurant of the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel which has become the spicy talk of the town anyway.  As regular customers walk in acknowledging  the smiling staff  they seem to barely glance at the menu as they begin to order the Tom Yam Soup, Mixed Vegetable in Red Curry, Chicken in Green Curry and the Chonchi Goong meaning sauteed lagoon prawns with home made chillie paste. Studying the menu and remembering those tastes with such precision can only happen at the Royal Thai.

Inside, the kitchen is on fire as the happy  Chef Aree Jitman and her friend Kwanchan throw  in  the prawns  with a smile. The kitchen is the happening place here with different aromas in the air and spices up  in the air as the guests sit calmly outside.

Royal Thai is like a party on any night as  guests keep strolling  in, comfortable with the knowledge that they have booked earlier.   At the Royal Thai, the meal for many guests is  premeditated. They all know what they want.

However it is safe to venture into the unknown such as the spicy creations   Phad Thai with prawns, Khao Phad Pak (spicy wok fried chicken with  hot basil and chillies,) Phad Woong Seng (spicy seafood noodles with hot basil) — the list seems endless…

Seafood dishes are in abundance here and cooked with the spices, makes them  an ideal meal for the night. “All our herbs are from Thailand,” says Aree Jitman  as she sails around the restaurant and stops by to say hello to the guests.

While the mixed papaya salad seemed to be a hot night time  favourite, the creamy Tom Yam Soup brought to our table with the orange prawns swimming in them gave the feeling that this would suffice for dinner.

Then came the Phad Thai Noodles, the chicken fried rice with ample vegetables,  golden onions and chunky pieces of fried chicken and the fish with the peppercorns. Our senses gave an S.O.S. message that there was indeed room for all these wonderful creations.

Eating out these days is a tricky exercise. It can leave one feeling cheated and hungry; it can also fill one with regret with the ‘never again’ signboard flashing in the mind. But a visit to the Royal Thai Restaurant is an experience to remember and must happen at least once in one’s lifetime.

This out of the ordinary restaurant beckons those with a spicy lifestyle. Royal Thai must be  applauded for giving us the rice that we are so used to – with different delights.

By Ranee Mohamed