Yentafo Kruengsonge will probably remind us of our local dish – Yong Tau Foo. Yentafo Kruengsonge is a famous Thai eatery under Madam A.Mallika with 28 outlets in Bangkok and two in Laos. Founded in 1999, it specialises in ‘yen ta fo’ and several other Thai delicacies.
‘Yen ta fo’ or pink noodle soup, refers to the Thai noodle dish with an array of ingredients in a lightly-sweetened sauce, Kruengsonge means the choice of ingredients that goes into the dish.
Moving on, we started with some appetisers.
Kratong Tong ($5 for six pieces) is served in six golden thin pastry shell with minced chicken, carrots and peas. The flavour is enhanced with the addition of coriander roots.
Yum Crispy Fish Skin ($7) is a favourite snack among us.’Yum‘ in Thai refers to the act of mixing sweet, sour and spicy ingredients together. The additive fish skin is very crispy and comes served with yum sauce.
It can be eaten two ways:
(1) Pour the yum sauce over the fish skin
(2) Simply dip the fish skin into the yum sauce
The interesting part of the Yen ta fo lies in the sauce — the unmistakable pink sauce is made from fermented red tofu and cooked Thai red rice. Adds some sweetness to the overall taste.
The non-spicy Yentafo Kruengsonge Soup ($8.50) consists of Kway Teow and ‘nine treasures’ in their authentic pink sauce. There is a generous amount of ingredients such as the beancurd, fish ball, squid ball, fish skin, and more. The jelly is also used in place of pig’s blood, for hygiene reasons.
Yentafo Kruengsonge Dry ($8.50) consists of the same ingredients as the soup version.
Brave eaters can choose a spicy level of 3 (dreaming spicy). If not, there is also an option of having it as spicy level 1 (spicy) and non-spicy for those with a lower spice tolerance.
Original Thai Tom Yum Noodles Soup ($9) is not exactly tongue-flaming but has a slightly sweeter after-taste. The ingredients have also soaked up some of the soup which makes them more flavourful and juicier. Compared to the Yentafo Kruengsonge Soup, this is more citrusy and has a sharper taste.
Cai Pad Krapow ($8.50) is served as a rice dish with minced basil chicken. It is not as spicy as expected despite being given a rating of spicy level 3 on the menu. Nonetheless, the savouriness of the chicken paired well with the rice.
Nam Prik Khai Poo ($9) is an interesting combination of spicy crab egg paste with some vegetables and a fried egg over rice. You can actually taste the sweet chunks of crab meats in the paste that is also creamy with a strong curry flavour.
What is Thai food without some traditional Thai desserts?
The Nam-Wa Banana in Coconut Milk with Sesame Seeds ($5) is a delectable dish of Nam-Wa Banana sliced and cooked in coconut cream, palm sugar and salt. The ‘soup’ has a creamy texture, not cloying sweet but with a slight tangy taste to it. You could eat it without feeling jelat.
Another highlight is the Santol Sweety Delights ($5) that comprises of Cottonfruit. It is a breed of banana that tastes like mangosteen, and it promotes good digestion.
Yentafo Kruengsonge is a cosy eatery serving comfort Thai food. It is an interesting concept in Singapore which specialises in Yentafo. Prices are also on the affordable side. Drop by for a taste of Thai’s famous noodle.
Expected damage: $5- $15
