2. Vong

My boyfriend and I were recommended this restaurant by the hotel we were staying at. That was a year ago, and we still wince when we think back to how horrible the food tasted. We wanted to be polite but couldnt even force more than a few bites down. We ended up leaving and going to get food at a bar.!

Ok, lets be clear this isn't Thai food - though its listed here as Thai... This is French food with a twist of Thai. Hmm now that's a worry straight off the bat. I'm from the UK and have spent many nights in Parisian restaurants and never have I found or seen food like this. Similarly I have toured Asia, especially Thailand and not one item on the menu reminded me of many of the dishes I've sampled from North to South Thailand. On first appearances the venue looks good. A very well laid out venue, subtle Thai hints here and there - in fact I have to admit its more Thai than most Thai restaurants that I've been to around the world, but that's where the Thai-ness stops. The menu was tiny, I actually asked the waiter if this was the early bird menu. A number of starters, looked ok - I went for the crab spring rolls. They were quickly served, no doubt requiring nothing more than a dip in the fryer.. I was told by the chap serving the starter to wrap the spring roll in the lettuce and coriander so as to wrap it and infuse the flavour. To be honest with out doing this I would never have realised there was any hint of Thai. Moving on I then selected the lobster, not cheap at $40 or so... Well there was nothing on the plate that resembled anything Thai, oh sorry there was some pak choi that did appear to have been fried, not in peanut oil, but probably lightly fried in vegetable oil or sunflower oil as the yellow dressing that came with the lobster dispersed under light indicating that it was somehow fried.. oh I forgot, some coriander.. The rice that appeared seemed to be very overcooked - I was told it was jasmine rice, though upon looking harder I would have to say it was basmati rice. It had the same smell and look of basmati rice, just very over cooked. It was literally rice pudding. After complaining they brought out some coconut rice... This again wasn't a nice blend of infused coconut flavour and rice, it was a hot lump of gloopy rice that would be better in the bin rather than offered to me to eat.. As for the lobster, well the entire meal was more French cuisine. Julienne vegetables, mainly carrot that was dropped (not draped) across the lobster and never have I ever had jaw ache from eating a lobster alone. Rubbery would sum it up well. To be honest the McDonalds across the road was looking good at this point. Some how the place had 16 people in and it seems to hit the palates of some people.. whether they have working taste buds is another matter. I don't normally write reviews, but never have I tasted such a mish mash of Thai French cuisine and see it fail so dismally...