Saap Thai – Haymarket

I believe we just saw what could have possibly been the worst movie of the year. 2012. Now listen, fans, before you pounce and attack, I consider myself a bit of a disaster movie freak. I believe I’ve seen them all. Even the disasterous The Day After Tomorrow 2. Some bootleg jobbie I picked up in Bangkok. Have you heard of that one? No name actors, flimsy sets, and about fifty bucks budget. An absolute shocker. But I watched it. And now I just spent three hours watching the end of the world, love story included of course, at the George Street cinemas. I even rolled my eyes at the fantastical digital animation. It was all a little too much. Will I get those three hours back? Of course not. But Jesus I was hungry at the end of it all.

My first suggestion of Thai Passion+ at World Square was a no-goer. They closed three minutes prior to our arrival. A stones-throw away, Saap Thai on Pitt Street, was my next suggestion. I’d been there before, you know, lunch for one on the run. I remembered it was a good enough Thai salad that left a memorable chilli-zing on my palate. Aside from a table of three, we were the only ones there. We grab a table and the well-used laminated menu is dropped off with two plastic cups of tepid water. We just wanted something quick and easy and hopefully tasty.

bbq pork neck $10.2

Mr K. orders the BBQ Pork Neck.
I order the BBQ Chicken Salad.
Both come out within ten minutes and are devoured within fifteen. Yes, we were ravenous.
The pork was pretty ordinary. A semi-sized serving of reheated cooked pork on top of a few squares of raw cabbage and shards of carrot. And a side of dipping sauce.
The chicken salad had much more appeal. Done in the traditional Thai style, much like what I’ve had as street food in Thailand. Simple sharp flavours with fresh tomato, cucumber, coriander and chilli, grilled chicken and fresh lime juice. Just the way it should be. I can’t believe so many Thai restaurants in this country struggle with this kind of dish.

bbq chicken salad – bbq chicken with onion, chilli, shallot, mint, coriander, tomato and spicy sauce $11.2

The variations of som tum (papaya salad) seem to be the speciality here, at Saap Thai. I can’t help but feel appreciative that they stick to their guns and serve up the same food as you get in their motherland, Thailand. Chilli and all, no frills. Nice to see they don’t hold back on the prik.

Tagged as: Haymarket, Thai