If you haven’t heard of Isaan food before, you are not alone! Prior to my visit at UYKD, i thought it sounded like a Cambodian word. Well, i wasn’t too far off – Isaan is the northeastern region of Thailand, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast.
Being a fan of Thai food, i was really excited to be at UYKD. We kicked off with the Spicy Pomelo Thai Salad with Fresh Prawns served in Tingkats. How old school! The spice and citrus-y combination unraveled beautifully and whetted our appetites ahead.
If you are dining in with 4 or more, do go for the Grilled Ribeye Salad as well. Seasoned with thai herbs, it’s an appetizer that further awakens your palate for the journey ahead with the main courses!
For the first mains, we had the UYKD Grilled Platter which consists of grilled chicken, pork, and prawn skewers. The meats were extremely succulent, with some coconut milk lightly draped over. There were 2 sauces to go with – the satay (peanut) that we are used to, and a homemade sweet/spicy dressing that went really, really well with the meats.
We were next greeted with the Deep Fried Sea Bass with Thai Herbs. I must say, the chef is really thoughtful to have prepared the dish in such a manner, saving us the trouble from digging and tearing the fish apart. The herbs and spicy seafood sauce lifted the fried seabass cubes well, though the pricing is abit on the high side in my opinion.
Penlaos Signature Grilled Chicken Whole ($21)
The highlight for us was the Penlaos Signature Grilled Chicken. The incredibly tender meat is marinated simply with white peppercorn and fresh coriander and grilled to perfection. This one is a must-try.
Loading up with some carbs towards the end, we were served the Stuffed Whole Squid with Tom Yum Fried Rice. There was a fiery kick to the rice, and thankfully it was managed with some fresh squid. Interesting presentation and i was pleased at how the rice stayed intact as you bring every piece into your mouth.
Last dish of the evening was the Leng Zaab – Prime Pork & Back Ribs with Spicy Sour Soup. I was warned that this soup was notorious for it’s spice, and yet i was still taken aback. This is an authentic Isaan dish, so spice lovers, have a good kick out of this 🙂
If you are around the area, UYKD has a range of selections for their Thai Set Lunch menu, available daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm! It’s air-conditioned, so spice on in your office attire! 😀
Un-Yang-Kor-Dai (UYKD)
57 South Bridge Road
#01-02
058688
Tel: 6787 8575
