It’s hard to find a place that does good, authentic Thai food in Singapore so we’re glad that we came across this gem of a place down by the Marina Bay waterfront. Sabai serves up a wide variety of Thai cuisine that unapologetically retains its Thai roots (read: spiciness) – this is a great thing. The plush surroundings of the restaurant add to the ambience of the place.
Why you should come here:
This place istheplace we’d go to if we wanted a good, laidback Thai meal. Sit outdoors, relax and enjoy the stunning view of the Marina bay waterfront. You’ll eat probably quite a bit so it may not be the best place to go if you’re planning a night out on the town but it’s great for a night out with your friends (more people = more dishes to share!) –that’s exactly what we did.
We loved theTawd Mun Kaopote(8 pieces for $15.50), a great starter for veggie lovers. The crispy, deep-fried sweet corn cakes are delightful, especially when paired with the sweet chilli sauce for that little spicy tanginess.
TheTawd Mun Gung(4 pieces for $18.50)was great as well, with succulent prawn meat expertly shaped in little patties and deep-fried to a crispy finish on the outside, yet with a juicy interior. This also went great with the sweet chilli sauce.
Of course, we had our favourite starter, theYam Mamuang($17.50), a green mango salad with prawns, chicken, roasted coconut, grounded peanuts and sweet sauce. This dish came with the extremely spicy chilli padi, which added a searing kick to the dish that we loved.
ThePat Thai Gung($19.30)is arguably one of the best in Singapore. Sabai’s noodles come stir-fried to perfection in a sweet tamarind sauce, chock full of prawns, chicken, yellow bean curd and eggs, topped off with a sprinkling of ground peanuts. TheirOlive Ricewas also a great dish with the earthy, salty taste of olives balanced against a great dish of fried rice.
What’s Thai food without some fresh seafood right? We enjoyed thePla Neung Manao ($36), fresh seabass or cod steamed with a mix of bird’s eye chilli, garlic and fresh lime juice which really brought out the flavours of the fish. TheirGang Gwio Warn Neua, Moo, Gai ($19.70), authentic green curry with a choice of beef, pork, or chicken was full of the yummy richness of coconut milk, balancing out the spiciness of the curry and giving it a sweet aftertaste. Another great dish that Sabai does extremely well is theGung Pat Pong Karee ($32), stir-fried prawns with curry powder, eggs, spring onions and Chinese celery. The prawns were big and succulent and the curry flavour didn’t mask that but gave a more interesting dimension to the dish. This was the first time we tried this dish and is definitely one of the reasons to go back.
To end off dinner, we had theKao Niew Mamuang($14.50), Sabai’s take on the classic mango sticky rice dessert in Thailand. It comes with glutinous rice softened in coconut milk, paired with slices of sweet mango that we really enjoyed. Definitely one of the must-try items here!
What we love:
The exquisite Thai artefacts lining the walls are great to look at and contrast nicely against the crisp, corporate décor. But we just love the relaxed atmosphere here out by the waterfront and their extensive menu, which caters to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.
What else can we say? We just love the food here, in spite of having us reach for our iced water every few minutes. A great standout dish for us is the Gung Pat Pong Karee – it’s more like a red prawn curry and is simply fantastic. It was the best dish of the night and it’s got us dreaming to go back for more.
Damage:
About $45++ per person excluding alcoholic beverages.
Where:70 Collyer Quay, #01-02 Customs House, Singapore 049323
Tel:+65 6535 3718
Hours:Monday to Friday, 11.30am to 2.00pm, 6.00pm to 10.00pm, Saturday and Public Holidays, 6.00pm to 10.00pm. Closed Sundays.
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