Sabai Fine Thai

Though golden oldie Sabai Fine Thai at Takashimaya shuttered its doors a few months ago, its younger sister at the CBD seems to be keeping up nicely.

When we stopped by in the evening, a cosmopolitan buzz permeated the restaurant, and young, well-dressed clientele were sipping Thai-influenced cocktails at their tables. Discreet statues sit tastefully around the chic, earth-toned space, but the view functions as the main draw: expansive windows open into the Marina bay and glittering skyline.

The menu – an inexhaustible list of Thai soups, salads, curries, seafood, and even a vegetarian selection – is equally promising. Starters fare well: we begin with khao dtang nar dtang, where the crisp texture of fresh rice crackers are set off against the meaty richness of the accompanying dip, made from minced chicken and prawns simmered in coconut milk. The stuffed deep-fried chicken wings, which contained just the right amount of minced chicken, were browned to perfection. A disappointing tom yum gung – barometer of any Thai restaurant worth its salt – however, was hot and sour yet flat on the tongue, displaying none of its signature beguiling, fiery complexity.

Mains left us similarly ambivalent. Red curry with roasted duck, recommended as a house favourite, was a tad on the sweet side, though the slices of duck immersed within were impeccably tender and flavourful. Our vegetables (we ordered kangkong) smacked with the subtle pungency of salted fish, but could have benefitted from a bolder spice kick. The unequivocal winner was the deep-fried whole sea bass (subject to change depending on the daily catch) slathered in a thick chilli sauce. Neatly portioned up before leaving the kitchen, the fish is a duo-tone wonder of crackling, crisp skin and silky, still-steaming flesh – an excellent partner to fragrant steamed rice. Remember to request for the whole fish; the menu only proffers fish fillets.

Interest in sweets dipped once we found out they’d run out of mango sticky rice, but we persevered with a red ruby dessert and coconut ice cream. Both did a good job of sending us off on a sweet note, though the ice cream, strangely, gave off a faint whiff of gasoline.

Sabai Fine Thai, with its buzzy vibe, wine list and extensive offerings remains popular amongst regulars and the suited set in the area. But those on the lookout for undiluted Thai fare, with its explosive spiciness and gut-based calibration of the sweet, sour, salty and bitter, will be better off searching somewhere else.

#01-02 Customs House. Tel: 6535 3718