Soi 47 Thai Food Review: Affordable Thai Restaurant At Orchard Central

Soi 47 Thai Food has cheap Thai food at Orchard Central

My family—including me—is a huge fan of Thai food. It’s one of the cuisines we always agree on without many complaints whenever we’re dining out. But Thai fare can be pricey when dining in a group of five around town. So when I heard that Soi 47 Thai Food has affordable offerings at Orchard Central, I was hoping they would be good enough for another visit with my parents.

Food at Soi 47 Thai Food

 

Like many Thai restaurants in Singapore, Soi 47’s menu sees an extensive range of rice and noodle dishes, soup, sides, and desserts. After browsing through the menu, I decided to get the Tom Yam Soup Clear ($9++), Basil Pork Rice with Fried Egg ($6++), Phad Thai with Seafood ($6.80++), and Red Ruby ($3.50++). FYI, these are what I would usually get from a Thai restaurant. 

The highlight of my visit was the Tom Yam Soup Clear, which comprised a lovely variety of ingredients such as fresh prawns, squid, mussels, mushrooms, and fried fish. I got Seafood as my choice of protein in the hopes of trying a bit of everything, but there are also Chicken ($8++) and Prawns ($10++) options here too!

Slightly tangy and spicy, the clear soup was a great accompaniment to our rice and noodle dishes. Many Thai restaurants in Singapore feature boiled fish slices in their tom yum soup, but I really liked that fried fish was used here instead. The crispy texture was somehow maintained even though the chunks of fried fish were submerged in the piping-hot soup. A pot of their tom yum soup was just nice for the two of us, and considering how generous they were with the ingredients, I can confidently say that this dish was an absolute steal.

A good plate of Basil Pork Rice with Fried Egg is all it takes to make my day—though the idea behind this dish is simple, I love that I pretty much get everything I need in one plate: veg, protein, and carbs.

I think spice is one of the most important elements in a delicious plate of basil pork rice, and so the lack thereof made it difficult for this dish to impress. It was also a tad too sweet for my liking; the vibrant and punchy notes of Thai basil were missing here. Also, a sunny-side-up would have paired better with the rice and meat instead of an over-medium egg that was featured here. Though jammy yolk is great for some dishes, say salad and sandwiches, I could imagine the creamy texture of a runny yolk complementing the minced pork even better. 

And of course, getting the crowd favourite Phad Thai with Seafood was a no-brainer. This dish was decent—it was served with egg, squid, prawns, shallots, a side of crushed peanuts as well as tau gay and a wedge of lime on the side.

Pad thai is well-loved by many because you get sour, sweet, salty, and savoury flavours coming together harmoniously. While Soi47’s version could use a deeper, charred flavour, my small gripe pales in comparison to the affordable price and sufficient portion. I also appreciate the use of fresh prawns instead of white frozen ones that are significantly smaller and less plump. 

I ended the meal with an icy cold bowl of their Red Ruby ($3.50+), a quintessential Thai dessert. My eyes instantly widened when I took a glance at the portion as it was bigger than what I’d expected.

There was a prominent bandung taste that I personally didn’t fancy, and I wished there was a stronger coconut flavour. But portion-wise, I was impressed with how many red rubies there were. Also, crushed ice tends to make these red rubies harden quickly, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case during my visit—most of the water chestnut pieces remained soft and chewy. In hindsight, I should have gotten the Mango Sticky Rice ($5.50+) too. Well, I’ve just found the perfect excuse for another trip down. 

Ambience at Soi 47 Thai Food

The restaurant felt a lot more spacious thanks to the well-lit environment and floor-to-ceiling windows. There are more than 50 seats here, with a long table in the centre that’s great for big groups! It’s also worth mentioning that the food was served relatively quickly despite our visit during lunchtime. For easy access, Soi 47 is located on the fourth floor of Orchard Central, and is a quick three-minute walk from Somerset MRT Station.

The verdict

Our meal totalled about $30 for three dishes and a dessert. With such good prices, a central location, and hearty portions, Soi 47 Thai Food will be on my radar for when I’m in town and in the mood for Thai fare. 

For legit Thai food in Singapore, read our Super Thai by Soi Aroy review. Otherwise, check out our guide to the best Thai food places in Singapore for XXL tom yam, Thai kway chap and more.

Address: 181 Orchard Road, #04-08, Orchard Central, Singapore 238896
Opening hours: Fri 12pm to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm, Sat-Thurs 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm
Tel: 6555 4747
Website
Soi 47 Thai Food is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg