Food Review: Chalerm Thai At The Capitol Kempinski, City Hall | A Beautiful Setting For The Empty Plate Awards [Closed]

Posted on October 6, 2019 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place Chalerm Thai’s origin story is as poetic as they come; a royal theatre, gifted to the people from the beloved king, giving of stories and memories to all those who enter it. And here, a restaurant named after the famed Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre, right beside the entrance of our very own beloved Capitol Theatre.

Entering the restaurant, the carefully curated furniture, with its balance of elegant and authentic just makes me weak-kneed with Pinterest envy. This makes such the perfect setting for a glitzy night out, with awards and applause, well-dressed people, delectable eats…

The Food In all the 10 dishes we shared, every one was empty within 2 minutes of service – I might really have counted, but you didn’t, so we’ll never know 😉 Let’s take a look at our winners for the Empty Plate Awards.

Empty Plat Champion is definitely the Phu Nim Phad Pong Karee (Stir Fried Soft Shell Crab with Yellow Curry, S$20). This is really one for the ages, with the fragrant curry that was spicy enough to tantalise my tastebuds but mild enough for Rantee who usually shuns spices. Again, an impossible balance. Let me see what I wrote as notes for this dish…Ah. “Okay, fave. I would eat this on my own. Who needs friends?”

Empty Plate Runner Up has to go to Yum Pak Boong Krob (Deep Fried Morning Glory with Chilli Sauce Dip, S$8). Now, I have a thing for light crispy stuff, especially when there’s an airiness to the batter. So, imagine my utter delight when I bit into this wonderful wonderful thing! Needless to say, after I had finished my polite portion of the dish, I was too embarrassed to take more from the sharing plate. So, I just stole from the Rantee’s plate when he wasn’t looking.

A close third in the race for empty plates? Peek Gai Tord Ta Kra (Deep Fried Lemongrass Chicken Wings, S$15 for 6 pieces) The winglets are perfectly battered, with the tangy lemongrass giving a gentle kick whilst the robust moist flesh balancing with en pointe bite. I honestly don’t remember how many pieces there were on the plate, is how fast we went through it. I mean, if we were on the show Fastest Fingers First we’d tie for the top prize.

The honorary fourth Empty Plate medal belongs with the familiar Phat Thai Kung (Pad Thai with Prawns, Chives & Tamarind Sauce, S$14) for the al dente noodles and well portioned prawns. The prawns – fresh, sweet, springy. The noodles; bouncy, thin, long.

And the Long Service Empty Plate Award, with multiple slurps and burps to its name, the one we always know is there for us, the one we can never do without: drumroll, please… Tom Yum Goong (Thai Seafood Tom Yum Soup, S$15) Like, I honestly hope you don’t order this ever so I can have more when I’m there. The sweetness and the spice, mixed with seafood, everything nice – what sorcery is this?

Onward to our separate stomach for sweets, speaking of. Now…we were supposed to be sharing our desserts, but guess who didn’t want to share? And worse, guess who encouraged whom not to share?

Appalling behaviour, really. Spooning gulp after gulp of Bua Loy (Warm Pumpkin Yam Dumplings in Coconut Milk, S$8) into our bursting bellies, without a care for anyone else, and then the cheek, the cheek to devour Tub Tim Krob (Red Ruby with Jackfruit in Coconut Milk, S$8) with that loud “Ahhhhh” at the end that just has to be done…. This was a dark period of my life, and I am that person no more.

No more, until the next time here again.

Rants We found some age-old favourites below the bar, namely the Chilli & Lime Beef and the Crabmeat Omelette…Especially the omelette. Or is the fluffy kind too much to ask for?

Will I Return Again? Before you do, I’d have already been there thrice. That dessert you wanted that was out of stock? I did that. Boom.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

Make your reservations instantly at Chalerm Thai here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5