On the fringe of Robertson Quay and Mohamed Sultan, the recently re-opened Kha serves contemporary Thai cuisine in a sexy, deconstructed space. Decamping from the lush greenery of HortPark, the restaurant now resides in Martin No. 38, a warehouse loft inspired residential tower slated to open in mid-year.

Fans of the rare grilled wagyu beef, rubbed with red curry, and Papa Adun’s wok fried crisp tofu with basil and tangy tamarind sauce, will still enjoy these signature creations. New selections push the menu count to over 50 items, a clever initiative to woo nearby residents, who are spoilt for choice for European and Japanese, but not Asian cuisine. A decent wine list is built around the flavours, including 13 wines by the glass – citrusy Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley 2010 Riesling comes highly recommended.  

Kha’s Thai chefs do not pull back on their herbs and spices – the tom yam soup with king prawn is an unadulterated clear broth that was bracingly spicy, sweet and sour at just medium strength. Surprising finds were the sweet whole green chilli, filled with minced pork and deep fried, which were accompanied by soy dipping sauce – with aromatic Malibu coconut rum in it. A crispy catfish starter also impressed with mango and grilled pork belly, sprinkled with the golden shredded fish ‘floss’. Curry lovers, variety is at hand with the 3-Signature Curries dish of green chicken, Penang beef and red vegetarian, which proved ideal with the free-flow Jasmine or brown rice. Incidentally, Penang – or Panang – curry does indeed have its roots in Malaysia, lending a deep rendang-like texture to this perennial Thai dish. If there is a definitive curry at Kha though, it would be the red roast duck curry, here given a rich nuance with pineapples, grapes, curl of coconut flesh, and lotus seeds.

Desserts, such as the mango sticky rice with pandan sauce, are updated with fine ingredients and prices to match. If you were to choose just one, baked pumpkin custard paired with shredded fruits and rich coconut ice cream hits the right closing notes. Cleansing mocktails include the lychee and fresh pomegranate Ruby Starlet, and muddled mango Makmuang Spark, which we could drink all day.

Kha is on the ground floor of Martin No. 38, 38 Martin Road, 6476 9000.

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