Oh Easy Tiger! How loveable you are! Sunday night on a long weekend; great place to spend the evening.
We had reservations for 20:30 and a place at the end of a communal table was secured for us. The downside was it was close to the door and there was a draught that circulated round the knees and ankles so we hoped the spicy Thai flavours would warm us up!
We were served our cup of cleansing marigold tea which was warming and much needed on this cold Winter night and we were informed that Sunday night was Chef's Night so no menus and we were in the hands of the Tiger crew. We were happy enough with that and went with the more expensive banquet so that we could eat more and taste more!
We had reservations for 20:30 and a place at the end of a communal table was secured for us. The downside was it was close to the door and there was a draught that circulated round the knees and ankles so we hoped the spicy Thai flavours would warm us up!
We were served our cup of cleansing marigold tea which was warming and much needed on this cold Winter night and we were informed that Sunday night was Chef's Night so no menus and we were in the hands of the Tiger crew. We were happy enough with that and went with the more expensive banquet so that we could eat more and taste more!
First came the canapé style entrées. First came the ma hor which was a prawn, pork & chicken ball, cooked in palm sugar, served on a piece of fresh pineapple. Good beer snack. Sweet and crunchy with a hint of that fishy chilli jam that Thai chefs favour. The pineapple was a good accompaniment as it had a cleansing effect on the palate.
The small morsel of betel leaf with prawn, peanuts & fresh coconut packed a zesty punch with a strong citrus flavour coming through.
The small morsel of betel leaf with prawn, peanuts & fresh coconut packed a zesty punch with a strong citrus flavour coming through.
Next in the magical eatery tour came crispy soft shell crab with housemade sriracha & fresh lime. This crab was less dry than the one from Seamstress the night before but the sauce at Seamstress was a little more appealing with deeper and more complex flavours. Having said this the powerful sriracha was still a great accompaniment to the sweet crab. No restaurant has surpassed the soft shell crab at Cumulus however which manages to combine crunch, softness, juiciness and chilli all in one hit.
We enjoyed the cicken, shitake mushroom & water chestnut spring roll very much because it was crunchy and non greasy and mainly because the filling was meatier than the usual spring rolls. This was a pleasant alternative to the more common veggie and rice noodle filling.
We enjoyed the cicken, shitake mushroom & water chestnut spring roll very much because it was crunchy and non greasy and mainly because the filling was meatier than the usual spring rolls. This was a pleasant alternative to the more common veggie and rice noodle filling.
Our main courses were just so delicious with different flavours and textures.
The steamed kingfish sour orange curry with lime, lemongrass and winter melon was my favourite with a tangy broth and perfectly cooked pieces of dense fish and fragrant coriander. I loved the broth with the steamed rice; almost like a gentle tom yum.
Fried pork neck and steamed squid salad with coriander, mint and red chilli nahm jim had so many elements to it. The soft squid was beautiful and not chewy at all. The pork had a crunch to it and the spice from the chilli nahm jim had a good spicy spike to it.
Steve's favourite was probably the coconut braised sher wagyu beef shin with pickled cucumber. The meat was impossible tender with that slight gelatinous stickiness to it from the long braising and the pickled cucumber and herb salad kept it light. The savoury juices were deep and warming and softened the spicy and sour notes of the other dishes.
We were advised by the very friendly and lovely waiter to pretty much mix everything up as the meal was about all the dishes together rather than as individual dishes and this baffled me at first but was actually very true. The flavours complemented one another and the steamed rice just soaked them all up.
The steamed kingfish sour orange curry with lime, lemongrass and winter melon was my favourite with a tangy broth and perfectly cooked pieces of dense fish and fragrant coriander. I loved the broth with the steamed rice; almost like a gentle tom yum.
Fried pork neck and steamed squid salad with coriander, mint and red chilli nahm jim had so many elements to it. The soft squid was beautiful and not chewy at all. The pork had a crunch to it and the spice from the chilli nahm jim had a good spicy spike to it.
Steve's favourite was probably the coconut braised sher wagyu beef shin with pickled cucumber. The meat was impossible tender with that slight gelatinous stickiness to it from the long braising and the pickled cucumber and herb salad kept it light. The savoury juices were deep and warming and softened the spicy and sour notes of the other dishes.
We were advised by the very friendly and lovely waiter to pretty much mix everything up as the meal was about all the dishes together rather than as individual dishes and this baffled me at first but was actually very true. The flavours complemented one another and the steamed rice just soaked them all up.
And as an added bonus, the son in law egg! Perfectly cooked so its all oozy in the middle, it adds a creaminess to the rice and all the other sauces.
And after all that food we ended our banqueting feast with a sago pudding with palm sugar syrup and toasted pistachios and crispy rice. It was a small serve but just the perfect amount to finish the meal on a sweet note!
We loved our Easy Tiger experience in spite of our seat by the door. We'd love to return and try more here. It's non traditional Thai cuisine but it works and is great. There's definitely a place for it in our hearts!
We loved our Easy Tiger experience in spite of our seat by the door. We'd love to return and try more here. It's non traditional Thai cuisine but it works and is great. There's definitely a place for it in our hearts!
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