Escape Restaurant’s New Thai Buffet Brings The Best Of Thai Food To Singaporeans

About Escape Restaurant & Lounge

Escape Restaurant & Lounge is a new buffet restaurant within the premises of One Farrer Hotel & Spa at Farrer Park. Apart from its regular buffet spread, the restaurant is collaborating with guest chef Aek Charttrakul to serve up authentic Thai cuisine. The buffet starts from $45, and is available from 2-16 April 2015.

Appetisers

This appetiser almost ruined my appetite, and I mean that in the best way. Crispy salmon skin coated with spices and topped with chicken floss – it’s so addictive that you can’t stop at one.One of the most easily recognisable Thai dishes is Som Tum (spicy papaya salad). The buffet includes a station for diners to customise their own papaya salad, but first, we were given a demonstration by Chef Aek Charttrakul.

Chef’s tip: when grinding the cherry tomatoes and shredded papaya, don’t pound them or the juice might splatter all over.Chef Charttrakul served up both spicy and non-spicy papaya salad. I’ve always liked spicy food with a bit of a kick, but I enjoyed the non-spicy papaya salad more. The lime juice perfectly complemented the sweetness of the shredded papaya, creating a refreshing start to our dinner.Meang Khum, or Thai herbs wrapped in betel leaves, is not for the casual Thai food enthusiast. Fortunately, I let my colleague try it first. It’s a fragrant mix of herbs, but the hidden chilli padi in the mix will destroy your taste buds. Proceed with caution.From top left, clockwise: Mee Krab, Kao Tang Na, Kum Hom Pha (Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls), Yum Sam O and Yum Kai Yang

The Yum Sam O (Spicy Pomelo Salad) and Yum Kai Yang (Spicy Roasted Chicken Salad) were unmemorable, but the flavourful Mee Krab (Crispy Vermicelli) and saltish Kao Tang Na Tang (Crispy Rice Cracker with Chilli Shrimp Dip) were deliciously addictive.

Soup

We were served Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Galangal Soup), a rich, spicy broth that almost made me cry. The soup was predominantly sweet, but the addition of galangal (similar to ginger) saved it from being too gelat.

Main Course

Before starting our dinner, we scouted out the buffet tables and immediately set our sights on the crab. Pao Pad Pong Karee is stir-fried crab with egg and yellow curry. It’s similar to butter crab and full of eggy goodness, but it didn’t taste as good as it looked.I had mixed feelings about the Pla Tod Nam Makham (Fried Snapper with Tamarind Sauce). The fish itself was dry and bland, but it was saved by the zesty tamarind sauce and crispy fish skin.Photo courtesy of Escape Restaurant & Lounge

I found Massaman Nua (Massaman Curry with Beef) similar to beef rendang, but it was good nonetheless. The curry was rich and the beef tender, but satisfyingly chewy.The Hor Lok (Steamed Fish Cake) was presented beautifully, but I was disappointed by its relative lack of flavour compared to the other main dishes. It tasted like otah, but sweeter and not spicy.

Dessert

There are many good reasons why Kao Naew Mamuang (Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango) is everyone’s favourite Thai dessert. The sweet sticky rice was paired perfectly with the slightly sour mango and garnished with fried mung beans for a bit of a crunch.

The curious little fruit on the mango sticky rice is Look Choob (Mung Bean Dumpling). It’s actually mung bean, just coloured and shaped to look like mini-mangos, mini-apples and other equally cute shapes. It’s disconcerting to bite into something that looks like a tiny mango and taste mung bean instead, but it’s adorable. Another interesting Thai dessert was the Thong Yod and Foy Thong (Egg Dumpling – 2 Types), a combination of two egg dishes. It has Portuguese influence to thank for its egg-tart-like flavour.

We also tried Thai Yellow Plum, a common fruit in Thailand but a rare sight here. The flesh tastes like plum, but the skin is sour and thicker. I liked the sweet and sour combination, but others preferred not to eat the skin.

Drinks

It’s not enough to eat sinfully good Thai food – my colleague completed her meal with a Deadly Sin, Escape Restaurant’s signature cocktail. She says it’s comparable to a Negroni, but even though I didn’t try it, it’s certainly a deadly concoction of bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth maraschino liqueur and orange bitters.

Verdict

Thumbs up for the Thai food! If you’re not a big fan of Thai food, you might want to check out the rest of the buffet, but the special Thai menu was the highlight for me. The Best of Thai at the Escape Restaurant & Lounge is available to diners from 2-16 April 2015.Some dishes were underwhelming, while others were satisfyingly authentic. Although I can’t handle spicy food well, I was a bit disappointed with the lack of spicy Thai curries.

It depends on your preferences – fans of sweet and rich Thai food would enjoy the buffet, while those looking for a quick tom yum fix would be . Personally, I was introduced to some Thai dishes for the first time and enjoyed the experience!