Ah Loy Thai (Shaw Towers) (2nd Post)

This is my second post on Ah Loy Thai which is located in Shaw Towers. The first post can be found here.

As you may have noticed in this menu, prices have increased. Hence, there was a need to cover the prices.

Long queue (right of picture)

Visited Ah Loy Thai  on a saturday for dinner. It was around 6pm and yet there was already a long queue that stretched down the stairs to where the male toilet is. Notice the white long sleeve shirt man whose image is not clear and back is facing us? Well he is the guy who ensures that patrons queue up and assign them to the tables. So you will not want to offend him.

More seating spaces

Ah Loy Thai has expanded and taken a unit next to it to cater to the crowd. As a result, their seating capacity has increased around 100%! But my concern will is that the owners increased the seating capacity without increasing kitchen size. How will it cope with serving customers their food and not result in an increase in waiting time? As mentioned in my first post, the waiting time for food was around 40minutes.

Menu

While we were queuing up, we were given a pencil and this slip of paper with all the dishes and prices. We waited close to 20 minutes and had lots of time to decide what to eat.

At last, we had a place to sit. All the way at the back at a cozy corner. Having decided what to order, I went to the cashier and made the payment for my orders with the slip of paper before going to my seat. It will be a 45 minutes wait, that was what the cashier told me.

Thai Pandan Chicken $9.00

Luckily for us, we waited just around 30 minutes. The first dish that was served was the Thai Pandan Chicken. The Pandan Chicken wrapped in pandan leaves was tender, juicy, tasty and well-marinated. The pandan leaves seems to have helped trap and ensure that all the moisture and flavours did not eascape. In addition, pandan flavours were present in the chicken. The chicken were cooked till it was slightly charred. Shiok, delicious! The only down side was, it was oily. Well, for delicious food its worth it.

Thai Fried Keoteow (Phad Thai) $5.90

Having tried the Phad Thai previously, I ordered it again. Phad Thai is the thailand version of fried kway teow. It is fried with prawns, toufu, fried egg and bean sprouts. Accompanied with grinned peanut and lime. The dish was fragrance and tasty! Certainty better than most places.

Tom Yum Seafood $6.90

Over the past 1 year, I have drank several different versions  of Tom Yum Soup. (can look at the tag ‘+ Tom Yam Soup‘ for the other posts). Ah Loy Thai’s Tom Yum Soup looks fiery red with the chilli oil on top. It came with prawns, mushrooms (straw and oyster) and squids. It is a spicy yet sour soup that was balanced nicely such that despite the spiciness (numbing your tongue/sweating), you would find yourself going for more servings. We ordered a bowl of rice to accompany the soup.

Overall, despite the wait time, the food is too good to forgo. After this visit, the must try items are Thai Pandan Chicken and Phad Thai. Come to think of it the Tom Yum Soup is also another star. Give it a try. But do come early if you are planning a dinner as Ah Loy Thai closes at 815pm on weekdays and 715 on weekends.

After your meal, you can hop over to Tom’s Palette just opposite Ah Loy Thai for ice cream.

Ah Loy Thai (Shaw Towers)
100 Beach Road
#01-39/40
Tel: 91651543
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri, 12pm to 8:15pm
Sat: 1pm to 7:15pm
                                 Closed on Sundays

The Kelong Restaurant (Bintan) (2nd Post)

This is my 2nd post on ‘The Kelong Restaurant’ in Bintan, Indonesia. The first can be found here.

Went over to Bintan over a weekend again. Things at Bintan can be expensive even food. Most people will be wondering what to eat in Bintan? What is delicious and yet value for money? Well, I have the answer for you… The Kelong Restaurant!We like it so much that we went back there again.

Shuttle Bus schedule to The Kelong Restaurant (sorry for blur photo)

There are free shuttle buses within the Nirwana Group of Resorts that will make a stop at The Kelong Restaurant.

The Kelong Restaurant is set up on stilts in the sea. It has a open concept so that the breeze from the sea will blow in. This time, the breeze blowing in was continuous and strong. So strong that we felt cold and turned our food cold within a short period of time despite it arrive pipping hot!

Menu Cover (newly redesigned)

Menu (Soup)

We ordered the Tom Yam Soup again. Small one for $14

Tom Yam Soup

Tom Yam Soup

The waiter served the Tom Yam Soup for us into 2 smaller bowls (which you see in the pictures above), yet there was still half a bowl(big) of soup remaining filled with ingredients. Consistent taste; same as what it tasted like 6 months ago. Right amount of sourness and right amount of spiciness that was perfect for me. Prawns, mussels, carrots, mushrooms, squids and even flower crab! The prawns were very fresh, the meat was firm and can be separated easily from the shell. The flower crab despite it being small was equally fresh too. The meat was easily separated from its shell and was sweet.

Menu (Chicken)

Crispy Chicken (Half Portion) $13

We had to order Crispy Chicken again. Again the quality of food was consistent! The outer chicken skin was so crispy and delicious that it would have been a waste if we did not eat it.

Menu (Sizzling & Clay Pot)

Sze Chuan Tofu $12

Thought that this the Sze Chuan Tofu will be very spicy. Surprisingly, it was not. There were lots of toufu, mushrooms, squids, prawns and carrots. The toufu was deep fried and there was a layer of egg at the bottom of the hot plate. Some slices of salted fish might enhanced the taste more. Quite a decent dish of hotplate beancurd that is much better than those at restaurants and coffeeshops in Singapore.. But due to the first 2 ‘stars’ this was an average dish that day.

Menu (Fresh Vegetables & Beancurd)

Baby Kailan with Oyster Sauce $12

Kailan is one of my favourite vegetables. Crunchy and taste great with oyster sauce. The vegetable look so green and taste so fresh! Well cooked!

Damage to the wallet: SGD64.13. Singapore dollar is used here, so Singaporeans do not need to change currency to Rupiah.

We were looking at the next table with 5 person (4ladies and a guy) and we realised that we ordered a similar amount of food as them. Only then did it occur to us that we have ordered alot of food for 2 person! Are we that big eaters I wonder..

If you are going to Bintan. Most of the prices there are similar to singapore prices and you might feel rip off if you insist on dinning in the resort itself. If you are willing to spend, why not go to Kelong Restaurant. At least, you get great tasting food instead of paying more and yet getting lousy food. Considering what we ate, $32 per pax was value for money. Worth it! Moreover, despite the place being filled to the brim, service was very good as they had many waiters and waitresses.

The reason why the food is so fresh:

(sorry for blur picture)

If you are in Bintan, this is a ‘die die must try’ place. Wish that it was located in Singapore.

Tip: If you are going there for dinner on a weekend at around 7pm to 9pm, do ask the hotel to make reservation for you.

The Kelong Restaurant
Nirwana Gardens, Jalan Panglima Pantar
Lagoi 29155, Bintan Resort 
Tel: (62) 770 692 789
Opening Hours: Daily 11:00 – 22:30
There are free shuttle buses within the Nirwana Group of Resorts that will make a stop here.

Aroy Dee Thai Cafe

Aroy Dee Thai Cafe is located at the first level of Sunshine Plaza facing NAFA. Came here during a week day during lunch time. The cafe was packed, had to wait a while before getting seats.

Aroy Dee Thai Cafe (picture was taken when cafe was closed)

Thai Royal Family

Thai people are very patriotic, especially to the royal family/king. The Thai Royal family photo can be found in most eateries and shops in Thailand. Was surprised to spot this in Singapore.

Set Lunch Menu

Set Lunch Menu (Rice)

Set Lunch Menu (Noodle)

Under the set lunch menu, you can choose an item (Rice/Noodle) and a drink (Lime/Pink Guava/Mango/Freshly Brew Lemon Grass) for $5.50

Drink: Lime

Tom Yum Chicken with Steam Rice

I ordered the set lunch ‘Tom Yum Chicken With Steam Chicken’ and my choice of drink was lime. Another tom yum that was delicious. It does not look spicy, no fiery red or orangey colour. But well, it was quite spicy. Yet, it was so addictive that I found myself sipping spoonful of the tom yum. Also, the chicken meat was tender and soft! Certainty a dish to order if you are there.

Thai Style Stir-fry Kua Teow

My colleague ordered this, not sure how it taste, did not try.

Aroy Dee Thai Cafe, another hidden gem. Not very accessible as it is not near any MRT stations. However, this place was packed and during lunch time, you have got to wait a fair bit before your food arrives. Look out for the other Thai cafe next to this. Heard that it is equally delicious!

Aroy Dee Thai Cafe
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-12 Sunshine Plaza
Tel: 6336 8852Opening Hours: Mon–Sat: 12pm – 10pm (Closed on Sun)