go thai

9:29 AM sians 0 Comments


the hunt for deliciously authentic thai food in kl seems like a never ending herculean effort.
to find one with a modest price tag? that is an even more elusive feat. 

i miss delicious thai food where a delightful party of sweet, sour, savory, sweet or spicy coming together - and occasionally all on a single plateful of yumminess.


when go thai joined the food scene in ss2, it was instantly embraced warmly for its street food concept of the classic favorites from our northern neighbor.


brightly lit petite dining space clad in a monochrome of black and white as the foundation of the industrial minimalist style it adopts, seemingly aimed to inject a modern feel to the street food concept. the accent pieces of colorful glass soda bottles line on the shelfs against the wall and vintage tiffins as well as the usual suspects of thai ingredients occupies the other. it wouldn't have guessed it to be thai if it wasn't for the illustrated menu of familiar dishes.




adopting the open kitchen concept preparing its signature dish of khao kha moo for its stewed pork leg, i smiled reminiscing my adventure searching for the famous street food stall in chiang mai for that very dish not too long ago. the back of the restaurant housed the other kitchen where the staff was busy preparing the rest of the menu.


we were surprised by the waitlist even on a tuesday evening and ended up with a 15 minute wait before we finally got a table. but with hungry bellies, we had already decided our dinner menu even before we sat down at our table.



drinks :: cha nom yen [cny] | iced thai milk tea (rm 4)


one of the iconic drinks of thailand, typically served in three distinct layers of palm sugar, milk and strongly brewed ceylon tea. so i was a tad disappointed when it was served like it was any regular iced tea. however, after my first sip, it didn't matter - it was that favorite taste of milky creaminess with the fragrant caramel like sweetness that is unmistakably thai iced tea. i liked it.

signature rice dishes :: khao kha moo [kkm] | stewed pork leg with rice & egg ( rm 10)


this was a clear favorite of the diners - khao kha moo making its appearance on almost every table as if it is a mandatory must have. apparently one of the more popular thai dishes which i've not known about prior to my trip to chiang mai although it had the makings of a chinese dish. served with fluffy white rice, the stewed pork in a mix of succulent meat and prized gelatinous fatty pork skin with sides of half of a hard boiled egg, preserved mustard greens and chinese kale. add on a vinegary sweet chilli sauce with a hint of garlic that goes perfectly that elevates the flavor to another level.



i liked that the meat to fat ratio was higher, thus making it a tad more guilt-free pigging out. the stew gravy had a light soy sauce umami laced with a subtle hint of the spices and the savory sweet tartness of the preserved mustard greens cuts on the fatty elements.


soup at go thai :: tom yam seafood [tys] | seafood in white broth (rm 13)



tom yum is a delicious delight that ranks pretty high on my favorite soups list. that is when it is done right.

unfortunately, the one at go thai didn't make the cut. overly spicy, too sour, too light on the lemongrass flavor and it was missing sweetness to balance the other flavors in a complimentary way. the lack of flavor and fragrant herbaceous features that make it tom yum rendered the other elements moot. with two previous hits, we were rather disappointed by this miss that left us wishing we had ordered something else.

famous bbq :: moo ping (3 pcs) [mp] | charcoal grilled pork fillet (rm 10)



resembling a bigger version of satay, it wore the flavors of chinese pork jerky more fondly known as "bakgua" but with a moister and meatier texture. it was succulent with the addition of the pork fat to impart more flavor to the fillet that was cooked just right. the flavor profile was a charcoal bbq smokiness against the predominantly sweet marinade. seemingly another top pick of the diners that made to many tables.

with its street food concept, go thai has attracted the local food lovers who craves to relive their favorite food memories without having to make a trip to thailand. my dining experience was a mix of hits and misses but it brings a few special food that may not be readily available in other thai restaurants. perhaps it's worth a try to find that favorite street food that you miss from your thai vacation but i'd say give the tom yum a miss to avoid a disappointment.

go thai without going to thailand ;)


go thai | location
187 jalan ss2/24
47300 petaling jaya,
selangor
{opens tues - sun: 11:30 am - 9:45 pm}

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

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