Erawan Classic Thai & Fusion @ Kota Damansara

Warning: Don't read this if you're craving for Thai food or any form of food. Excessive reading can result in wetting of keyboard and a growling stomach.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Erawan Classic Thai & Fusion

You're all in luck. I finally decide to share the secret Thai restaurant that I like and is recommended by Eiling's Top Eating Picks. And it doesn't take a Thai to know that this is authentic and good. Well, at least all the friends whom I've taken them there seemed to be extremely delighted and satisfied.

Erawan is an Elephant God. And I think the name suits the restaurant very well. That's all because, the food is heavenly too!

Their appetiser which is the Miang Kham (Condiments wrapped in Betel Leaves) at RM20 is a very good dish to start a meal. The ingredients (purple onion, fresh green or red chilli, ginger, garlic, lime, roasted peanuts and dry shrimps), although simple, is surprisingly very good. The lemongrass honey is a must order drink. It's so refreshing and you know it's made of good, fragrant quality lemongrass. That's Anan, one of the 2 partners whom runs the restaurant.



The presentation of food here is very meticulous. Even the porcelain ware that is used for the rice is a traditional form of Thai porcelain called "Benjarong". This style of multi-coloured enamels came from the Ming Dynasty in China. In the 13-18th century, the "benjarong" is actually made for the royal court. Apart from that, the green plates are actually called Celadon which is pottery with an elegant glaze that resembles the jade. The table mats all have a unique story to tell about the things in the restaurant.

There are so many dishes in the menu, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Erawan 3 Ocean Salad (RM38)

This dish is a really must order dish. There are prawns, squids and yummy jelly fish with a spicy sauce. It's really something different from the usual salads.

Clear Tom Yum with Seafood (RM30)

This is another obligatory dish to order in a Thai restaurant. So far, I haven't been to a Thai restaurant and not order a Tom Yum soup. It's like going to McDonalds without having their French Fries. There is an option for the ingredients as you can choose from prawns, salmon, grouper or seafood. The tom yum is really tasty because you can really taste the ingredients instead of just being spicy. The best thing about this place is that they allow you to choose the spiciness rating from 1-5. I've tried 3, which sent me a runny nose, burning tongue and teary eyes, and then I tried 2 which choked me and now I just settle for 1 or rather 1.5. hehe...

Curry Fish Cake (RM25)

I sworn by the fish cakes they serve which is made of spinach mackerel fish that is deep-fried with a special curry paste and served with cucumber pickles instead of the usual Thai chilli sauce. The portions are big and you can really taste the firm textures of the fish paste.

Boneless Roasted Duck Curry (RM38)

The duck is roasted till you get this golden brown colour before it's cooked with coconut milk and curry. In the same dish, you'll find nice cherry tomatoes and pineapples. I wasn't too convinced with the name of the dish but when I tried it, I instantly fell in love with this curry.

Erawan's Chicken Massaman Curry (RM32)

This curry has to be pre-ordered. This is a traditional Thai curry which is served in a special occasion. In the Siamese history, this is a favourite dish of the King Rama II. This curry consists of onion, potatoes and peanuts and it's actually very interesting because there's a tinge of sweetness and sour.

Erawan's Fried Chicken (RM18)

Oh, if you're wondering why we are eating fried chicken in a Thai restaurant, go on and wonder until you have tried it. It was a good piece of special marinated chicken deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown and crispy on the outside but tender in the inside.

HK Kailan with Salted Fish (RM20)

I can go on and on about their dishes but there is just too many to talk about. I've been there many times and it never disappoint. The only disappointing fact is that this is a small restaurant and if the turnover is good, most of the popular dishes will be sold out.

Have I talked about their desserts?!!

Some pictures for distraction purposes....

Besides the common Thai desserts like the Red Ruby and the Mango Sticky Rice, we tried the Candied Cassava (Tapioca) at RM8, which is tapioca with syrup and topped with coconut milk.

Durian Ice Cream (RM8)

This is by far the best durian in another form besides the fresh ones that I like. Don't look at it like an ordinary ice-cream because its taste and textures will surprise you! You even get a slice or two of fresh durian flesh in it too. They only make 1 container a day which is very limited servings, so if you really want to eat this, you might have to consider pre-ordering. Other ice-cream flavours available are Thai Milk Tea, Mango and Lemongrass.



Oh well, sorry for such a long posting. Words are not merely enough to describe my experience here at this restaurant. This is one restaurant I'll never go without making a reservation (by this you should know why) and I always pre-order certain dishes that I want to avoid disappointment. It's a little more work, but I think the food is worth it. Certainly the best Thai food in town and it doesn't burn a hole in the pocket nor the wallet.

Now, don't go there. I lied. It's not as good as what I've described. Pretend you never read or seen this.

Oh nom nom nom....

The last thing I need is another person fighting a table with me!

Erawan Part II - here. Updated 2012 review HERE.

Erawan

No.22-1, Jalan PJU 5/16,
Dataran Sunway Kota Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Tel/Fax: + 603-6141 2393
website