Beer drinkers rejoiced when Tawandang, a giant microbrewery, opened its doors in Dempsey following Red Dot Brewhouse last year—providing yet another beer joint in which to hang out after a hard day’s work (and more reasons to leave the office earlier too, if you ask us).
But wait, this is not just another microbrewery, it’s a Thai restaurant too, and a pretty decent one at that. When we popped by recently for lunch on a scorching midday, the place was a tad empty (like most places in Dempsey are at noon, actually), with many available seating options both indoors and out. We decided to go alfresco to enjoy the huge and airy space with a high roof and ample ceiling fans. Besides, we reckoned that we could do with a little bit of sweating to make our spicy Thai food seem even more authentic.
We loved the tom yum soup, which came with medium-sized fresh prawns and chili padi that was so potent, it would have knocked our socks off if we were wearing any. If you prefer the creamy version, go for the coconut milk-based option. Our spicy glass noodles were also zesty, with a sweet and sour aftertaste that went well with our lime juice. Although our fried rice with crab meat was a huge disappointment (where was the crab meat?) and generally tasteless, the main dishes of deep-fried seabass, stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts and stir-fried morning glory fared way better. Our seabass, in particular, was crispy and absolutely full of flavor (thanks to the accompanying soy-based sauce, peppered with even more chili padi), and the morning glory was cut and diced in such a way that it resembled a plate of spaghetti! We kid you not—that’s how the Thais like their vegetable dishes to be done, according to our waitress, who was observant and friendly throughout.
Of note to beer drinkers: Next time you’re here, try the various pub-grub-like fried crab cakes and mango salad which will go fabulously well with your drinks. We’ll be back.
