COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE – Some people think Thai cuisine is going through a revival lately, pointing to restaurants like Chachawan, Ayuthaiya, and Issaya Club making a mark with their refined Southeast Asian dishes.
Well, that trend might be real if you only eat in Central and Causeway Bay. The truth is there’s always been excellent Thai around town – it’s just that most of them are Kowloon City dives or humble eateries that pay the rent serving lunch specials of Pad Thai or Pineapple Fried Rice.
The town’s newest upmarket Thai venture is Mak Mak, located in a hidden corner of the Landmark in Central, with an even more hidden entrance behind a false wall display next to a takeout stand. The restaurant is also Yenn Wong’s ninth in her JIA Group stable, which includes Chachawan.
The interior
Inside, it departs slightly from her usual luxe styling. With lime-green wall tiles and brighter than expected lighting, it doesn’t exactly scream posh and ostentatious styling for the tai-tais who regularly shop in the surrounding fashion boutiques.
That’s the surprising thing about Mak Mak. It’s situated in the city’s most opulent retail space but serves up simple, basic Thai dishes familiar to most everyone – a stark contrast to Wong’s more adventurous Chachawan in Sheung Wan. Mak Mak isn’t trying to push the boundaries of Thai cuisine, just reinforce the foundations with something presumably more solid.
Goong Tod Bai Chaploo (red curried king prawn with a pepper leaf tempura)
Appetisers like Goong Tod Bai Chaploo (red curried king prawn with a pepper leaf tempura – HKD128) may sound exotic, but it’s actually street food – elevated to elegance. It’s a savoury hit eaten with a betel leaf and some tamarind sauce, accentuated with the umami of a few fried scallion and small shrimps.
Cai Hor Bai Tory (fried chicken wrapped in pandan leaf)
Cai Hor Bai Tory (fried marinated chicken wrapped in pandan leaf – HKD98) is available everywhere, but the quality of the chicken meat here is definitely a class above the rest. Thod Man Poo (crab and prawn cake – HKD148), features two large satisfying pieces of moist seafood served with a touch of yoghurt for freshness and a small green mango salad.
Yun Woon Sen (marinated pork, seafood, glass noodles and a “three-flavour” dressing)
Realizing we’ve indulged exclusively in fried snacks, we quickly choose a salad. The interesting Yun Woon Sen (HKD138) includes marinated pork, seafood, glass noodles and a “three-flavour” dressing. The sweetness is evident but it could use more of a zing in acidity, as well as a spicy kick.
Thod Man Poo (crab and prawn cake)
The curry choices at Mak Mak are even more standard. The Red Roast Duck Curry (HKD168) is a tomato and coconut stew of grilled pineapple, Thai eggplants and tiny grapes for extra sweetness. It’s good but I’m not sure it’s worth the money.
Instead of the ubiquitous Pad Thai for our carbs, we select the Phad See Eaw (HKD108), a flat rice noodle stir-fry with oyster sauce and a choice of chicken or pork. It’s nicely done, not oily, and each glistening strand of noodle is coated liberally with flavour and not congealed in clumps.
Gluay Todd (or banana fritters)
For dessert, we again swerve from the obvious. Mango and sticky rice is as commonplace as it gets for Thai sweets, but banana fritters are less de rigueur. Mak Mak’s Gluay Todd (HKD78) turned out to be an excellent option. The pieces are extraordinarily crispy and golden coloured. The banana chunks inside could be slightly more ripe and fragrant but the lime sugar and caramelised condensed milk drizzled on top really lifts the confection to dazzling heights. I hazard to say it’s the most memorable dish of the night.
For four people, the meal totalled just over HKD1,200 without alcohol, which is downright inexpensive for a restaurant inside the Landmark, making Mak Mak a welcome addition for that alone. To have the food be of quality-grade and well-made is a bonus, and it’s certainly classier and has a better wine list than your average Kowloon City joint.
Mak Mak: 217A, 2/F Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road, Central (Google Maps). Tel: 2983 1003.
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