In Thai-food-crazy Dubai, it’s easy to get your Pad Thai fix quickly at the countless Asian restaurants dotting the city. At Thai Chi in Wafi Mall, however, Thai food is elevated from take-out status to elegant gourmet.
You’re introduced to this elegance the minute you walk through the impressive doorway, with dim lighting and rich-toned decor setting a romantic mood. One thing that hit me straight away was the smell of the food engulfing the space, so be prepared for some tummy rumbles even before you sit down.
The recently updated menu has some options that I’ve never seen before and I was definitely in for some delectable surprises.
A colourful dish of Miang Kham, raw leaves topped with a mixture of sweet, sour and spicy ingredients, was the first dish on my Thai adventure. The delightful crunch and burst of flavours was unexpected but so much fun — almost like a party in my mouth.
Next up was the Gaeng Massaman Gae, slow-braised lamb shank in aromatic Massaman curry. Having had this curry at other restaurants, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed. But wowed I was. The curry was fragrant and rich, with a perfect balance of flavours. The meat was soft and falling off the bone, but that curry was glorious over hot steamed rice.
Another meaty main dish that got my taste buds tingling was the Seaklong Yang, slow-cooked beef ribs. They had me at “ribs”, but trust me; you’ve never had ribs like this before. Slightly spicy and more than flavourful, the meat had a bit of bite to it, allowing you to really savour the dish.
Seafood love
For the seafood lovers, there was the impressive Poo Nim Pad Phong Karee, deep-fried soft-shell crab tossed with yellow curry sauce, which my friend gobbled down in no time, and the Choo Chee Salmon, slow-cooked organic salmon with red curry, which I thought was slightly bland.
Stuffed at this point, my friend and I didn’t think we were going to be able to get through the desserts: a stunning coconut pannacotta, and crispy sweet taro wontons topped with chocolate sauce. The pannacotta was delicate and not too sweet, while the wontons were the opposite — hot and crunchy, and stuffed with a starchy filling.
So all Thai food aficionados who are looking for more than takeaway and noodles, Thai Chi has got you covered with some authentic and fusion cuisine that you might never have tried before.
