It has been a while since we have visited Tong Thai but in the mood for some Thai cuisine, we decided it was time to revisit one of our favourite Thai restaurants. Located in the stunning JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, Tong Thai is the hotels award-winning Thai restaurant.
We make our way down a long hall, private dining booths are dotted throughout for those wanting more privacy. A bar area offers light bites and beverages, for those wanting something a bit more casual. As you enter the restaurant you will instantly be taken back by the sea of hanging red lanterns, setting a relaxed ambiance. Our table is next to the floor to ceiling window, offering us uninterrupted views of the bustling city.
We begin to review the menu, all the classic Thai dishes are available, in addition to a few welcome surprises. We place our order and await our culinary journey to commence. First to arrive is the Gai Satay, grilled chicken skewers, served with a thick peanut sauce and a light cucumber dip. The chicken is grilled to perfection and still has a slight chargrilled scent. A superb start to our dining experience.
Arriving shortly after is the Yum Som O, a Thai pomelo salad, with crispy shallots, roasted coconut and lime syrup dressing. The salad is light and refreshing, yet the fine chilli offers a slight kick to the taste. The juxtaposition of sweet, yet sour pomelo, in contrast to the chillies makes for an exciting plate.
Next to arrive is the Tom Yum Kung, a must order dish when visiting any Thai restaurant. The warm soup offers plump prawns, thick cut mushrooms, juicy tomatoes, finely chopped onions, dashes of lemongrass and pinches of chilli, all topped with a garnish of Thai parsley. The warm soup encompasses the ideal texture and taste, not too thick, or too spicy, each of the ingredient’s flavours are appreciated.
We take a moment to relax between courses. The service thus far has been nothing short of attentive, even though the restaurant is busy we are well looked after.
It is extremely difficult to decide what we want to order for our mains, a few standout dishes include, Lobster Phad Tom Yum Haeng a wok-fried lobster served in tom yum flavours, Kung Yang Phuket, grilled tiger prawns or the Kho Khun Yang Jim, grilled marinated striploin. Eventually we opt to share the Kho Khun Yang Jim, grilled marinated Wagyu striploin, sticky rice, dried chilli served with a tamarind sauce. This is ordered with a side of Phad Thai Kung Sod, stir-fried rice noodles, prawns, eggs, peanuts, bean sprouts and tamarind sauce. The Kho Khun Yang Jim is the highlight of our dining experience, the beef melts in the mouth and the tamarind sauce only further emphasises the flavours.
As tempting as the dessert menu does look, we decide to skip dessert on this occasion but will instead save it for our next visit to Tong Thai.
Overall, we had an extremely enjoyable dining experience at Tong Thai. The cuisine is traditional Thai cuisine but with a modern twist. You will not be hard pushed to find something to your liking on the menu, your only problem will be not over-ordering. Tong Thai is ideal for a romantic evening, gathering of friends or just a great excuse to go out and enjoy some fabulous Thai cuisine.
Gai Satay, AED 75
Yum Som O, AED 75
Tom Yum Kung, AED 75
Kho Khun Yang Jim, AED 245
Phad Thai Kung Sod, AED 90
Tong Thai, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, +971 4 414 0000
