You'd be hard pressed to not be able to find a good Thai eatery in Singapore, regardless of budget, and new Thai-Chinese restaurant Khun Mee Thai looks like it could be yet another restaurant lost in the fray of such eateries in Singapore.
But while it's hardly the most impressive in terms of consistent quality or culinary prowess, its no frills home-style cooking (all ingredients used are sourced directly from Thailand and numerous dishes are based off of founder and managing director Khun Aum's family recipes) still makes it a reliable dinner spot should the mood for a taste of Bangkok strikes you. Lucky you, east side dwellers!
Must-try: The signature Ba Mee, a Thai street food classic perfected by Khun Aum's take on the traditional recipe. A basic bowl starts from $5.80 (yes, really) with a portion of delightfully springy egg noodles with dumplings and charshu, but give into the temptation to splurge a little for the full works – the $8.80 bowl includes a lava egg and a surprisingly generous amount of crab meat.
Mix in all the condiments of chilli powder, green chilli in vinegar, fish sauce and sugar (one spoonful each will suffice) for the ultimate oomph combo. It's heartland grub at its finest, right down to the crackling pork lard bits. The Ba Mee is also available in Tom Yam ($8.80) and green curry renditions ($9.80), but we still like it best when it sticks to basics.
Also worth busting your gut for: the luscious glutinous rice with durian ($5.80, below), a lovely spin on the traditional mango and sticky rice dessert.
Skip: The green curry with chicken ($7.80). On our return visit, the previously robust dish had become watered-down and was severely lacking in spices. Unimpressive.
Khun Mee Thai is located at 799 New Upper Changi Road, #02-32/34 Bedok Point. For more information, visit www.khunmeethai.com or call tel: 6445-9932.