September is almost here, it is a cold morning as I am typing this. And when the nights starts to turn cooler, Thai food is just the thing to warm you up and help chase away those nasty flu.

 

Thai food is one of the cuisines I really enjoy. It is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. So when I met Ladyironchef for dinner a while back, I suggested having thai food and hence, he proposed First Thai.

First Thai serves authentic Thai street food at easy-on-the-wallet prices, and the menu is extensive with two or three size servings. 

 

My favorite is always the Phad Thai ($8) because it is one of the thai dishes that won’t go wrong. The Phad Thai here is a lush portion of noodles, seafood, peanuts, vegetables and chilli flakes.

An abundance of whole basil leaves joins chicken and fiery red chiles for a quick, delicious,and decidedly spicy stir-fry, Basil Leaves Fried with Chicken ($8), or Gai Pad Gra Pow, is one of the classics of Thai food. It was delicious, with fine balance of fiery hot and savory.

The Fried Prawn Cake ($3/pc) is very crispy and tasty, served with a sweet chilli sauce.

I once had a plate of Olive Rice in a Thai restaurant near Sembawang Shopping Centre and I was totally blown away by it. But unfortunately, the Thai restaurant is no longer there and hence, I have been looking for that plate of perfect Olive Rice. However, the Olive rice ($8) here was disappointing.

 

The garnishings are generous; chunks of cashew nuts, onion, chilli and cucumber that make each mouthful a delight. But the rice was not served warm and it was dry and bland.

Tom yum aficionados would give this Tom Yum Seafood ($7) a thumb up. The harmless looking soup is packed a potent punch with its intense spicy and sour flavors.

 

The tom yam is crowded with spices and herbs, served with whole king prawns, flavoured with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, lemon juice, tomatoes and fresh mushrooms. It is robust and well balanced.

The popular eatery is almost always busy, so be prepared to queue for a while and don’t be surprised if they’ll ask you to share a table with somebody you don’t even know. Well, I guess it’s all part of the authentic culinary experience.