Eat Out - Chilli Cafe (Thai)

Day 102

After last Friday's horrendous dinner at Camy (bad service and chaotic atmosphere), I decided to find a peaceful place for our dinner tonight. Usually for Friday's dinner, I will try to find places within the city so that Mr Tan need not carry his super heavy laptop bag around too much. I have heard a lot of good reviews about Ying Thai and Ying Thai 2 but both of them are not in the city, so I shall keep them for our Saturday nights.

I searched Urbanspoon (my fave rest website) for cheap Thai food and shortlisted Chatter Box, Chilli Cafe, Your Thai and Thai Culinary. Chatter Box is only opened for lunch so we decided to check out Chilli Cafe. We reached there at about 7pm and I was glad that it was not crowded and nosiy. Many tables were occupied but the noise level was acceptable and there was no need to share tables. There was minimal service as diners have to take the menu from the counter and order at the counter. The staff will bring the food to your table when it is ready.

I ordered Green Curry Chicken ($9.90), Mr Tan ordered Massaman Beef Curry ($9.90) and we also ordered Tom Yum Goong ($12.90) to share. All the dishes are served with rice and we opted not to have the rice for Tom Yum Goong.

The Green Curry Chicken came with some vegetables and they were generous with the chicken pieces. It was a little spicy and flavourful. The beans and shredded potatoes added texture to the dish and I would love more curry! Yum Yum!

Mr Tan didn't like the Massaman Beef Curry as it wasn't spicy and he found the taste of the coconut milk too strong. He is someone who loves spicy food and dislike too much coconut milk in his curry. I don't eat beef so I didn't try his food and can't comment.

The Tom Yum Goong was rather expensive for $12.90. It came in a huge bowl but there were only 4 big prawns in them. The tom yum tasted like the tom yum paste used in Nissin Cup Noodles! We enjoyed it as it was a familiar taste that reminded us of home but we would not order it again as it was nothing like the authentic Tom Yum Goong. It was probably made using some Premix. The taste of lemongrass, lime and chilli was nowhere to be found and the soup was neither sour nor hot.

Overall the food was average and we probably will not return any time soon. :)