Simply Talad by Tin Box

Went past the new Simply Talad by Tin Box at The Clift — the new Thai eatery by the Tin Box Group which runs multiple live music venues takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Taiker Song (some may also associate the shop unit with the now-defunct Ash & Char). Decked with ornaments and wallpapers that are associated with Thai culture, the dining establishment also features two dining areas — one being the main air-conditioned dining hall, and the other being the outdoor space that consist of bar counter seating. The menu at Simply Talad by Tin Box offers patrons with options ranging from rice dishes and noodle dishes, all the way to salads and snacks, as well as communal dishes such as omelette and soups. They also do offer a small selection of desserts on the menu which were unavailable during our visit, which includes the Thai Red Ruby and Thai Roti w. Egg & Banana, whilst they also do serve up both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well.

Of all the dishes that we have tried, it is the Thai Wanton Mee that we found to be the more well-executed ones of the lot. The Thai Wanton Mee here does come with the usual suspects — wanton, char siew, pork lard and greens. Tossed in the usual clear sauce that is typical of that in Thai-style wanton noodles, the noodles were springy and savoury like how we have expected it to be — served with three wantons, the wantons were also well-packed with meat and carried a good bite with a silken skin. The char siew was from a cut that had a balance of fat and lean meat — pretty decent, while the pork lard was fried to a crisp and provided a contrast of texture with the entire bowl. The Thai Wanton Mee comes accompanied with a bowl of soup and a saucer of chili flakes on the side — adding the chili flakes does ante up the spiciness quite a fair bit, so those whom are not particularly tolerable to spiciness may want to add it in to the bowl of noodles sparingly. The accompanying bowl of soup was actually pretty light and refreshing — coming with daikon, the soup tasted pretty clean save for the slightly peppery finish; something which we could definitely have on its own.

We also have had their Train Fried Rice, Tom Yum Soup (Prawn), and Thai Prawn Cakes; most of which are pretty decent — the Tom Yum Soup (Prawn) being a little bit on the salty side whilst could have been a little spicier for a punchier flavour overall, but still something which we were fine with. That being said, we do feel that the service staff are especially friendly and sincere here — they were not only able to answer queries with regard to the food served, but also were extremely apologetic for items that were not available; they also do engage in small talk and also asking for feedback on the food as well. Whilst there might be some room for them to tweak their recipes further to find a balance between the expats and locals that patronise them, Simply Talad by Tin Box is that sort of place that leaves one in a good mood for a post-workday hangout near the office.