With restaurants located all over Singapore, Nakhon Kitchen is no stranger to hungry diners craving for their regular Thai fix.
What began as a humble outlet in Hougang back in 2008 is now a chain of 8 branches, including one at Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Holland Village and a recently opened outlet in Marine Parade. It’s also fully run by Thais, so you can be assured that they will live up to their slogan of serving “authentic Thai cuisine”.
Singaporeans love for Nakhon is unquestionable, which is evident from the snaking queues at the restaurant. But the question is, why is Nakhon’s nosh so high up on the Singapore diner’s list these days — despite strong competition from trendy Thai mookata eateries?
Those who swear by Nakhon say it is quite simply because it is very similar to zi char.
According to Rachel (21), she loves that it has a communal feel to it.
“I get to feast on a variety of dishes especially since I’m always there with a bunch of friends. It helps that the dishes are inexpensive as compared to the usual zi char spots we frequent.”
Besides being cheap and good, Victoria (20) thinks that the Nakhon hype is here to stay since it has all the distinct flavors that Singaporeans love.
“We’re all big fans of spicy food and Nakhon always hits the spot with their delicious and authentic food that is a balanced mix of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. Their food just speaks to our Singaporean tastebuds — but still has that authentic Thai food element.”
Being one of the first Thai eateries to pop-up in the Heartlands, Nakhon has since won the hearts of many families looking for fuss-free dinner options.
Don’t be intimidated by the queue — it moves pretty fast — they even take your order while you’re waiting, ensuring food hits the table almost as soon as you’re seated.
It’s also quite apparent that the Nakhon hype is more popular with the younger crowd as some older folks are still not used to the cuisine’s strong flavors, but Clara (20), said that it is now her family’s go-to spot after introducing the place to them a few months back.
“It’s a tried-and-tested spot for us — we love that the meal is a balance of homely, hearty and sinful all at the same time. Don’t expect much customer service though, the staff can be rather curt but they’re super efficient.”
If you’re one of the few who has yet to try Nakhon, they offer a decent-sized menu with dishes listed under categories of appetizers, salads, soups, curry, seafood, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, rice, noodles, desserts, and beverages. Some of the crowd favorites include the Pineapple Fried Rice ($6), Honey Butter Chicken ($6) and the Pad Thai ($5).
Granted, Nakhon’s offerings are not necessarily items that Thai people will eat, for example, pineapple rice and pandan chicken, but they are definitely dishes that Singaporeans like.
It doesn’t matter if at least eight out of 10 Thai eateries here have the exact same items on the menu, once you’ve tried Nakhon — you will be most likely sticking to it.