By EDKL Writer A.A.
Thai Hou Sek strives to immerse us in the sights, scents and sensations of Bangkok’s streets, blending what’s time-honoured with what’s trendy - this fine balance is reflected by a mural that pays tribute to Thailand’s revered late king, surrounded by neon-lit flourishes with a hip, modern edge. The third branch of this pork-loving restaurant recently opened in Desa Park City, following in the footsteps of predecessors in 1 Utama and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
When a message over the kitchen proclaims ‘No Pork, No Life,’ it’s clear that customers should commence with swine succulence in mind: The Thai Grilled Babi-Q on Skewers (RM17) features four sticks of honey-glazed barbecued meat, more satisfyingly juicy than the norm, well-paired with a robustly flavourful nam tok dressing, evoking the sort of temptingly tasty snack you’d buy off a roadside stall and munch on while exploring a city.
The greatest hits of Thai cuisine hog the limelight here, from curries to stir-fries: The Green Curry Pork & Pumpkin (RM 22) is creamy comfort food, bolstered by the punchy savouriness of bacon strips, while the Stir-Fried Baby Kailan with Siu Yuk & Shrimp Paste (RM 17) is a comparatively more balanced meal, made particularly notable by the tender roast pork. Both of these would work very well with a bowl of steaming-hot rice.
You can even have pork in your dessert, in the form of the Chocolate, Bacon & Baileys (RM 15) - a shot of deep and dark ice cream, crowned with crispy pork bacon and corn flakes, with a splash of Baileys for a little kick of liquor (this typically has cream on top, but we chose to have ours without). It might sound somewhat strange, but it succeeds, especially if you like your desserts decadent.
Of course, you can also pig out on non-porcine temptations at Thai Hou Sek:
The Pandan Chicken (RM 18) is a plate of boneless, marinated chicken that does impeccably delicious justice to this classic dish in all its tender glory. The Mango Salad with Soft Shell Crab (RM 25), meanwhile, is all crunch – texturally refreshing, it’s the ideal accompaniment for the meatier options on the menu.
The Seafood Tom Yum (RM 26) is lovely, with credit to a red broth base that’s beautifully balanced, neither too spicy nor too sweet or sour for our preference. The flavours taste mellow and natural, with clean subtleties. We had ours with seafood, but since this is Thai Hou Sek, you can certainly have yours with pork as well.
As for a non-bacon dessert, we could’ve gone more traditional, with mango sticky rice or banana spring rolls, but the Pumpkin Custard (RM 13) sounded too alluring. It’s charmingly presented, with the centrepiece of a tenderly steamed slice of ripe pumpkin with a luscious custard filling, completed with sugar-glazed egg yolk strings that taste light and delicate. A treat to share.
Thai Hou Sek’s thirst-quenchers mainly comprise a medley of juices, teas, beer and cocktails. For lunch, the Thai Hou Yum (RM 10; a tangy mix of jasmine tea, assam boi and lime), Coconut Lychee (RM 10) and Thai Milk Tea (RM 10) were all the ideal antidotes for countering the heat and humidity.
It’s been one year since Thai Hou Sek first emerged in 1 Utama, and its youngest outpost is a welcome entry to an ever-expanding family. As part of the opening promotion, this branch is offering Chang Beer at RM 16 per bottle or RM 89.90 for 10 - massive savings if you buy in bulk, especially since you can park your beer here for future visits if you can’t finish it all in one go.
Thanks to Thai Hou Sek for having us here.
Thai Hou Sek @ Arkadia
Block Bellamy, Unit 11, Ground Floor, Plaza Arkadia, Jalan Intisari, Desa Park City, Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 11.30am–3pm, 6pm–10.30pm. Tel: 03–27154727
Daily, 11.30am–3pm, 6pm–10.30pm. Tel: 03–27154727
Other outlets:
Thai Hou Sek @ 1 Utama
Lot S132, 2nd Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya
Daily, 11am–10pm. Tel: 03–7731 7933
Thai Hou Sek @ TTDI
Unit No. 2-2, Greens Terrace, No. 1, Jalan Wan Kadir 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 11am– 330pm, 5pm–10pm. Tel: 03–2771 8447
