Soi 23 Fine Thai Restaurant, Pacific Regency Hotel Suites

Realising that we hadn't had any Thai cuisine in our weekly dinner schedule for quite a while, we decided to try out a fairly new Thai restaurant called Soi 23.

Nestled in the bustling cosmopolitan city of Kuala Lumpur in the Golden Triangle is Soi 23, a fine Thai restaurant located in Pacific Regency Hotel Suites, offering a multitude of enticing Thai flavours of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and even bitter! Perched on a hill just opposite the famed KL Tower, Soi 23 is a hidden gem serving Northern Thai (Isan) influenced cuisine. This elegant fine dining Thai restaurant has garnered rave reviews among local critics and collectively received several awards over the years.

The restaurant boasts a serene and elegant ambience with a gorgeous backdrop of the city’s view, exceptionally mesmerizing at night. Dressed up with lots of earthy cream and wood colours, the plush restaurant is spaciously designed with comfort and style in mind. Doubling as a breakfast nook for the hotel guest, Soi 23 is transformed into a class of fine Thai at night. The setting is serene and the service is stellar, all but ensuring a pleasant evening (even if the food isn't exactly rave-worthy).

Truly authentic to its exotic roots, Soi 23 is helmed by Chef Suphakit Khammungkhun who hails from Ubon Ratchatani, a northern eastern province in the gorgeous region of Thailand. The demure sweet-natured Chef Suphakit concocts up a selection of bold and mesmerizing flavors at the restaurant. Despite his humble personality, his cuisine speaks otherwise, glowing strongly in flavors and textures with an elegant touch!

The wicked route to Thai culinary paradise began with Nua Dad Deaw Tod Bai Ma Krood Krob - yes, a real mouthful but it's simply Fried Air-Dried Beef with Kaffir Lime Leaves. Needless to say nobody resisted succumbing to the dark side...the meat's jerky-like texture released its deep-seated, full body accent in our mouths as our jaws got a good work-out.

No Thai meal is complete without a fiery tom yam and this meal was no different. Forget about the usual prawn or seafood, Chef Suphakit set our tongues ablaze with Tom Yam Nam Kon Poo Nim - a tart, piquant tear-inducing broth scented with lemon grass and laden with chunky deep-fried soft shell crab and mushroom.

An interesting dish that I order was the soft-shelled crab salad. I have to say that they prepared this dish with perfection. The lightly crisp texture of the crab was complimented by a slightly sweet sauce and was very appetizing.

I swooned over the highlight of Chef Suphakit’s signature creation of Red Snapper Deep Fried with Three Flavors Sauce. Albeit sounding ordinary, the dish is an explosion of taste! Whole red snapper deep fried till crispy and smothered in a fiery red sauce was indeed stimulating on every bite. Crispy and soft in texture, the fish was very provocative in its combination of spicy, sweet and piquant flavors. I like the bold sharp flavors of the sauce as it is what makes the dish a signature from the kitchen.

Desserts served at Soi 23 may be on the popular list of Thai cuisine but these are made really well with an extra touch! Mango Pudding may be more ordinary and superb!

I L.O.V.E Thai Iced Tea! Thick in milky flavors with a strong brew of tea, Thai Iced Tea is nearly perfectly made here at Soi 23.

Dinner was truly satisfying as anticipated. Not only was the dishes well flavored and refined, the expansive view of the city’s skyline was amazing. Soi 23 is the restaurant for an impressive experience of Thai flavors. The restaurant seats about a 100 guests, so be sure to make your reservations early and find out why Soi 23is one of the best kept secret in the heart of the city!

SOI 23

Pacific Regency Hotel Suites

KH Tower, Jalan Puncak, Off P.Ramlee,

50250 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603 2332 7777 ext. 6807

Fax: 603 2031 2492

Email: info@pacific-regency.com

Website: www.pacific-regency.com