[Review] Khiri @ Hamilton Road: New Menu with Nuanced Thai Flavours

Khiri, formerly known as Restaurant Chedi, recently launched its second menu since its February opening in 2023. In a dedicated effort to familiarise diners with the rich and diverse tastes of Thailand, the contemporary Thai restaurant aims to take guests on a gustatory journey through an 8-course degustation experience priced at $148++.

Head Chef Miller Mai, spearheads this culinary exploration, expanding the restaurant’s offerings beyond familiar classics, delving deeper into Thai dishes and ingredients. Chef Miller may look young, but he is a culinary veteran with over 18 years of experience under his belt, starting work at the age of 14 at a local food court selling Western fare, before venturing into fine dining.

“This new menu reflects our commitment to showcasing Khiri’s evolution while preserving the authenticity and tradition of Thai cuisine,” shared Chef Miller.

The revamped menu, launched in August last year, is meticulously crafted by Chef Miller till he arrived at this iteration over three months, researching recipes, sourcing premium ingredients, and coming up with innovative ways to present them.

We were invited for a dinner tasting of their 8-course degustation menu and these were the items presented:

To start the dinner, Chef Miller chose to present Khiri’s interpretation of the traditional “one bite wrap” (Milang Kham) to whet the diners’ appetite. This is a smart choice with its intense, sharp burst of flavours in one mouthful and the colourful presentation, building up anticipation.

This was followed by a duo of Thai street snacks served as starters, with Chef Miller paying homage to the everyday Thai lunch of meat skewers, often eaten on-the-go by office workers. Chef Miller’s take on Kai pan ta-kra sees hand-chopped chicken shaped around a lemongrass stalk and cooked over a charcoal grill. It is served alongside Thod man goong, where the classic shrimp cake is given the Khiri treatment. Here, a paste made from Argentinian red prawns is wrapped in Japanese Yuba (tofu skin) and then deep-fried for a crunchy bite. We love how Chef Miller elevated the dining experience for humble street snacks with these two items and it was fun watching them being prepared in front of you, just like when you are on the streets of Bangkok.

The skewers were then followed by a very beautifully plated Thai-style mango salad dish that presents sweet, sour and spicy flavours all packed into one, playfully served together with a crispy fish roll for an extra crunch.

For mains, the Esaan Kor moo yang, said to be a house favourite, makes a triumphant return. Here, Iberico secreto, a thin cut of meat between the shoulder blade and the loin, is marinated with a Northern Thai flavour combination of herbs and aromatics like coriander root and garlic. It is then charred over charcoal flames and basted with palm sugar for a subtle sweetness and caramelisation. This was one of the stand-out dishes for us for the night and we would highly recommend it. The quintessential thai flavours are there, but with a contemporary presentation.

If you prefer other meat versus pork, the Kaeng massaman sikhrong nuea thoon (additional supplement of $22++) is a more premium option. For this dish, Angus beef short ribs from Australia is brined for 12 hours and slow-cooked for another 12 hours in the massaman paste, resulting in a meltingly tender texture. This dish is more intense in flavour and will delight those who like stronger tastes.

For bigger eaters, you can considering adding on Khiri’s signature friend rice, made with 6 month cured salted threadfin and crabmeat. A minimum order of two bowls is required as the dish will be stirr-fried in front of you upon ordering. This was another of our favourites for the night.

For a sweet finish, the Kaeng buad phueak chor pha-ga completes the meal. Here, a steamed dumpling made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with palm sugar is hand-pinched into an elegant rose, a nod towards the royal Thai dumplings served to King Rama II. It is presented in a stone bowl and then lathered with a sweet, creamy yam paste made by first steaming yams, then blended until smooth. The ensemble is enjoyed with homemade coconut ice cream on the side in a separate bowl. We like that this finishing dish is not overtly sweet and ends off with a clean, harmonious note.

Verdict?

Situated in the gentrified enclave of Jalan Besar, Khiri epitomises understated sophistication, offering an authentic yet adventurous taste of Thailand through a refined tasting menu. Head Chef Miller Mai’s curated menus exhibit a profound understanding of Thai cuisine, striking a harmonious balance between traditional flavours and contemporary culinary techniques.

This is a great place to visit if you are looking to experience elevated Thai traditional cuisine with a modern presentation. There is so much more depth to Thai cuisine than just the stereotypical Tom Yum soup and Pad Thai and Khiri is somewhere you can go to experience it.

Khiri

Adress: 15 Hamilton Road, Kallang, Singapore, Singapore, 209185

Tel: +65 8686 6169

Email: [email protected]

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