Rochor Thai | 3.5/5

SINGAPORE — Rochor Thai is a strange name for a restaurant located in Joo Chiat. But as it turns out, this almost two-month-old restaurant had its start in the soon-to-be-torn-down Rochor Centre, where the young owner was given the remaining four months’ lease on a unit to discover if his business idea was viable.

Evidently, it is.

The restaurant, painted a ghastly shade of saffron, has all the makings of the kind of simple eatery found on any street corner in Thailand. It’s the sort of place you could schlep to in your shabbiest clothes and be thoroughly satisfied by affordable, unpretentious dishes accompanied by a glass of rust-coloured Thai iced tea.

Fresh out of culinary school, 26-year-old chef-owner Joel Ong astutely roped in a native Thai chef from Pattaya to help him ensure the food’s authenticity. So dishes like the Thai Papaya Salad (S$7.80) are as fresh and spicy as those you’d find at a Thai street stall, while slices of well-marinated tender grilled pork collar (S$12.80) give more upscale restaurants a run for their money.

Curiously, the tom yam soup (S$8.80) completely lacked a sour element. The stir-fried “drunken” style clams (S$14.80), however, were redeeming even if its name is thoroughly misleading. There is no alcohol in the dish. Rather, the fresh clams are tossed in a wok with chillies, holy basil and a sweet Thai chilli jam, all melded together to form a delicious melange of briny, sweet, smoky and spicy flavours that had us practically fighting for the last shell.

Our server explained that the dish is so named because its power-packed flavours would sober up even the most muddled drunk. While it’s certainly delicious, it’s not that good. Although they share the same name and sauce, the “drunken” style prawns (S$14.80) were comparatively mild in flavour and overcooked. It’s a good thing it was quickly followed by deep-fried slices of snapper cloaked in a dry red curry sauce (S$16.80) that was more sambal than curry. Its sweet, deep, spicy and citrusy flavours were beautifully balanced while the crispy fish was still luscious within.

The restaurant also has a small list of Thai desserts including the ubiquitous red ruby in coconut milk (S$4.80) and a very good rendition of the ever-popular mango with sticky rice (S$7.80), as well as the rather hard-to-find coconut ice cream (S$6.80) with sticky rice and peanuts. ANNETTE TAN

Rochor Thai

Where: 340 Joo Chiat Road

Telephone: 6440 3270

Web: www.rochorthai.sg

Opening hours:11.30am till late daily (last orders 9.45pm)