Sawaddee Thailand
Sawaddee Thailand 4 G/F Sai Kung Garden 16 Chan Man Street Sai Kung, New Territories Tel 2791 6399
Grub: Thai cuisine, although there are a couple of Malay curries on the menu.
Vibe: The decor is pleasant though fairly typical of small Thai restaurants everywhere. The walls were pale green and sport numerous paintings of idyllic rural life in times gone by, painted in the classic Thai style.
Who to bring: Bring anyone who enjoys Thai food, especially if they like it but find it too hot. There is plenty on the menu that is not spicy.
What's hot: Sawaddee boasts a fairly large menu featuring all the usual suspects. Green, red and yellow curries are all available with either chicken, beef or pork. You can also find the spicy-sour tom yum soups which are available with prawns, chicken or mixed seafood. If you prefer a soup without the spice, the bean curd and minced pork soup is worth investigating.
In the appetiser section you'll find prawn cakes, spring rolls and chicken wings. They also have not-very-Thai pitta and garlic breads available. One of the menu highlights is the crispy pork. This dish is less common in Hong Kong's Thai eateries, and is served in a variety of ways. Here it is cut into bite-sized chunks and served cold with a delicious spicy and sour dipping sauce.
Thai cuisine is known for its salads, and here the northeast-style pork neck salad and the crispy fish with mango salad are particularly appealing. Lovers of chicken feet and the classic green papaya salad won't be disappointed, either.
The seafood selection is varied and interesting. The fried fish with cashew nuts is definitely worth trying. The fish turned out to be pomfret, though this may vary from day to day depending what's available at the market that day. The flesh is pulled from the bone and served in a delicious sweet - though not too sweet - and sour sauce.
Thai cuisine is not well known for having a wide range of desserts and there are only a few on the menu here. Mango sticky rice is always popular, but step out of your comfort zone and try the layer cake for a change. The glutinous cake is made with rice flour and flavoured with pandanus. Served warm, it is a sticky and delicious treat.
What's not: Tables are very close together.
Cost: Starters are HK$35-HK$48. Curries are HK$58-HK$68. Noodle, fried rice and vegetable dishes are mostly HK$45-HK$60.
On the lunchtime menu, all dishes are HK$32-HK$40, including soup and a drink.
