Food for Thought: Bangkok Jam and Its Sister Restaurants

This ‘fusion Thai’ restaurant is owned by the same people who run Patara Fine Thai Cuisine and Siam Kitchen plus a host of others including Hot Stones, Surf N Turf, Al Dente Trattoria, Aria Bistro & Wine Bar and two Japanese restaurants at Vivocity.

We dined at Patara when it first opened for business at Tanglin Mall some 15 years back. Because of its name which gives the impression of ‘fine cuisine’, my expectations were set rather high, I must admit. Our experience, however, was far from satisfactory and we walked away disappointed. The food was bland lacking the ‘sweet, sour and hot’ combination which is synonymous with Thai cooking. We never went back again.

Grilled pork with Thai sauce

Siam Kitchen, on the other hand, promotes itself as a ‘halal’ certified restaurant with branches in the heartland. Its pricing is fairly reasonable and for that price, we can’t really quarrel about the ambience, service or food. In fact, we thought the quality of the food was surprisingly good for that price range. What impressed me most about Siam Kitchen was its service. Once while dining at its branch at Causeway Point, my wife encountered breathing difficulty (perhaps due to overeating!!!). The waitress on noticing my wife’s discomfort, immediatey asked if she could help. On request, she went on a search for medicated oil. She even went so far as to offer the brand new bottle to my wife in case she needed it along the way home. This is what I call GEMS. Kudos to the staff of Siam Kitchen @ Causeway Point.

Bangkok Jam – the name sounds more like a Jazz haunt than a typical Thai restaurant. I was expecting Jazz music in the background but this was not to be had. But that didn’t really matter at all, because the food was authentic and we enjoyed it including the one fusion dish that we ventured to try upon the manager’s recommendation.

The restaurant's decor moves away from the typical Thai. There was an absence of heavy gold gilding and dark teakwood. Instead there is plenty of glistening white, soothing beige and rich brown. The wall on one side is left bare to show off the beautiful wood panelling. On the other side, hangs a series of large sepia tone photographs. The colour scheme and clean cut furnishing succeeded in giving the restaurant a very light ‘no-nonsense’ minimalist feel.

On the recommendation of the manager, our dinner order consisted of Potato Croquette, Mango Salad, Grilled Pork, Chicken in Basil and Stir-fried Kangkong. For dessert, we had Banana Tempura.

Chicken in Basil 

Stir-fried kang kong

The mango salad was well tossed with just the right drizzle of dressing. The dressing was tangy, a little sweet (not too much) with a spattering of diced red hot bird’s eye chilli. The mango julienne were not limp and soggy but firm, the way they should be. This is one of the best mango salads we have had outside of Thailand.

Mango Salad

Potato Croquette

The potato croquette was an interesting ‘fusion’ dish. I was at first a little apprehensive, being the traditionalist that I am. But my first bite into the golden brown deep-fried croquette was all it took to convert me. Crispy on the outside, soft and moist inside is how I would describe it. Friends will know I am not a fan of mayonnaise. But Bangkok Jam’s version of the mayonnaise dip was different in a good way. It had a slightly piquant taste and a salmonish tinge to it. Try it, you will like it too.  Bon apetito!

Bangkok Jam

1 Kim Seng Promenade

#02-26 Great World City

Tel: 67324523

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 6.5/10

Food: 6.5/10
Pricing: $$

Recommended dishes: Potato croquette, mango salad, chicken with basil, stir-fried kangkong