Singburi 2.0, Shoreditch
'Edison Chen just walked in!' I murmured to Joan, trying to act nonchalant while doing my hardest not to stare at the Canadian-born Hong Kong actor/singer and former love of my life—a title I'd declared him worthy of at the age of 14.
So imagine my heartbreak and downfall when news about him spread all over the internet (IYKYK, but if not, please Google his name at your own discretion!), which just goes to show—never go for looks alone.
Through my peripheral vision, I watched him and his wife sit at two tables to my right. Joan and I debated whether we should go say hi and ask for a photo, but we never worked up the courage.
He didn't look very friendly, nor did he look like he wanted to be bothered, so we left him to it.
But enough faffing about my former love because you, dear reader, are only here to read one thing, and that's my visit to Singburi—so let's get into it!
Let's talk about Singburi, a once family-run Thai restaurant based in Leytonstone, where phone bookings were hard to come by, finding 8 people who could order the entire daily special menu and deal with spice was even harder, and to top it off, the restaurant would be fully booked for months. We'd all keep our eyes on their stories to see if they had availability for the next three months or more.
After closing for an indefinite period, they relocated and reopened in Shoreditch, collaborating with two other chefs/founders who had previously worked at OMA, KILN, and Catalyst Cafe. The space is bigger, but the menu is smaller. They now have a bar with fun cocktails and a wine list, yet still pay little tribute here and there to their original location.
As we booked a table for lunch, we were quite surprised by how busy the place was—from suited-up office workers to creative hipsters. It was a great place to people-watch, and we wondered which companies allow their employees to have 2+ hour lunches.
Of course, we had to start with the Fizzy Colada mocktail. Sweet, zesty, yet refreshing!
The Watermelon & Strawberry Salad was a great start—light yet refreshing, and the sprinkle of pork floss was a nice touch. The fish sauce and chilli dressing with added mint was rather lovely, as it was pungent, savoury yet sweet with a lingering chilli heat. So good.
The Dill Pork Sausage was delicious as it tasted exactly like Sai Oua, one of my favourite Thai sausages. It's made with offcuts of pork that have been chopped with lemongrass, garlic, shallots, and kaffir leaves before grilling. It was savoury, smoky, spicy, yet fragrant from the garlic and lemongrass. I tried the chilli and greens on the side for extra flavour and texture, but they weren't needed in my opinion. This was one of my favourite dishes.
The Radish, Kohlrabi & Chilli Jam Salad tasted similar to Musaengchae—the Korean spicy radish salad—but with a Thai twist. Very flavourful and similar to the watermelon and strawberry salad, yet sweeter. I especially liked the texture and fragrance of the toasted coconut and black sesame seeds. However, Joan and I agreed we needed rice at this point to mellow out the strong flavours and cleanse our palates.
I only started eating good Pad Kra Pao this year, having been blessed with Thai foodie friends, and this Pork Ka Prao was sublime and obviously amazing with rice. Spicy, savoury, slightly sweet, aromatic, and peppery—what's not to love! I can handle spice, but if you can't, I'm sure they'll add fewer chillies to the dish.
Although there have been mixed reviews and comparisons between the former and current locations, we must remember this is a revival, and like most restaurants or businesses, it needs to evolve to continue the legacy.
I still wish I'd gone to the OG spot, but this was good enough for me, and I am already planning my next visit, especially to try their aubergine and chicken thigh dishes.
Address: Unit 7, Montacute Yards, 185‑186 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6HU