We love Golden Mile. We love the grit, the retro vibe and most especially the cheap, cheerful and supposedly more authentic Thai food. That was until we discovered the shiver-inducing pleasures of Thai Tantric at Orchard Towers. The location—folding tables along a third floor corridor surrounded by seedy dance bars—gives us the warm fuzzies of eating on a sidewalk in Bangkok’s red light district. The menu is a lot broader than that description might imply, though: there’s the usual Northeastern Isaan fare—papaya salad, laab meat salads, etc—but also curries, noodle soups, stir-fries and whole steamed/deep-fried fish dishes. What’s more, it’s all solid. Start with Singha beers and a classic drinking snack of deep-fried chicken wings ($10). You have the option of regular wings and small ones—go for the latter. The fry-job is legit—crispy on the outside, moist on the inside—there are lovely crushed coriander seeds in the batter and they’re over in two bites, leaving you wanting more. The squid, shrimp and other seafood in the fiery yam woon sen (savory-sour vermicelli and herb salad, $10) is surprisingly delicate for a place this rowdy, and the same goes for the tom yam kung (spicy shrimp soup, $10), which also offsets its mind-blowing heat with creaminess from a dash of coconut milk. Our only complaint, if we had to make one, is that the food is almost gratuitously spicy, beyond what it needs to be to feel “authentic”. If you’re the sort to be undone by the pleasant discomfort of your taste buds on fire, order wisely and wash it down with plenty of beer. Would we give Thai Tantric four stars if it were in Bangkok? Probably not. But in Singapore, it’s some of the least fussy and most delicious we’ve had.
