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David Sutton

Chai Yo Thai
G/F 18 Hennessy Road
Wan Chai
Tel 2528 3599
Grub: Northern Thai
Vibe: This is a classy little restaurant at the Admiralty end of Hennessy Road. The heavy, dark wood tables and chairs were imported from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Yellow walls are lined with carved wooden arches and finished with squares of coloured Thai silk. The staff are friendly, and the owner/manager (also from Chiang Mai) is on hand to tell you about the dishes.
Who to take: Go with a bunch of friends or family when you have something to celebrate.
What's hot: Although this restaurant boasts that it specialises in northern Thai cuisine, it's not limited to food from that region.  There are many familiar dishes that originate in northern Thailand, anyway, so anyone hoping to find their favourites probably won't be disappointed. 
There is a full range of curries: the traffic-light trio of green, yellow and red, as well as musaman and penaeng curries. The ever popular tom yam soup with prawns or seafood is also available. What is surprising is that the infamous som tam, or spicy papaya salad, which is perhaps the north's most famous dish, is not on the menu. 
There are half a dozen starters, all of them quite familiar. The best thing is to share a mixed platter. This is easily big enough for two or even three people to share, and includes satay, spring rolls, and fish and prawn cakes. The familiar sweet basil with minced chicken or pork is a typical northern dish, served with lettuce which is used to wrap the meat into bundles and is eaten with sticky rice. Another northern dish which is less often seen is grilled salt-encrusted fish. 
But more intriguing was the Chiang mai pork stew, yet another kind of curry. The pork is slow-cooked with fresh ginger, peanuts, shallots, pickled garlic and seasoned with tamarind juice. The pork is wonderfully tender and the sauce has a delicious tang. Chillies are often added as it's cooked, but here the stew is quite mild.
Another dish not often seen in Hong Kong is Thai omelette with minced pork or chicken. Again it is a generous serving that can easily be shared between two or three people. 
The only dessert available is mango and sticky rice - but on the plus side, it is a large serving. 
What's not: There isn't a very broad range of desserts or drinks.
Cost: Most of the dishes are between HK$68 and HK$88; some seafood dishes are more expensive. With three or more people sharing, expect to pay around HK$150 per person.



Chai Yo Thai