Diandin Leluk, Singapore

Stepping into Golden Mile Complex is like being taken straight to Thailand. It really doesn't feel like Singapore at all. It's different...it's old, slightly dodgy, but you know you're in for a treat when you look around you and see that all the Thai restaurants are being filled by Thais themselves. The smell of mookata fills the air - it's really quite an experience here in Singapore.

Na Na at Golden Mile Complex is my usual go to joint to satisfy my Thai cravings but lately I've been hearing a lot about Diandin Leluk which is just a few shops across from Na Na. They also have another branch at Geylang.

Deep fried catfish with mango salad ($12)

You can't go to Diandin Leluk without trying this. Catfish salad (Laap pla duk) has got to be one of the most underrated Thai dishes here. The fish fillets are cooked, dehydrated (sort of like fish floss) and then deep fried so it forms a nest - very airy, crispy and addictive. The mango salad goes so well, whoever invented this dish must be a genius. Their version of mango salad wasn't spicy at all though, I reckon some more chillies would have made this dish perfect. 

 Deep fried fish cake (4pcs for $10)

Fish cakes with sweet chilli sauce can hardly go wrong. The fish tasted fresh and the spices and herbs came through. Served fresh out of the oil so it was still hot and juicy. 

Pandan chicken (4pcs for $10)

This is a one dish that many places don't do well. They either overcook the chicken till it's all stringy and hard or under season it. This was perfect though. Very well marinated and still succulent and juicy. Love how the pandan fragrance permeates the chicken. Mmmm...

Pineapple fried rice ($10)

Odd how this is such a popular dish everywhere - except Thailand. Diandin Leluk's rendition of this Thai favourite had heaping amounts of floss, a few prawns, raisins, pineapples and slices of Chinese sausage. It had the heady aroma of turmeric and curry powder but somehow missing that zing from the pineapples. And then as we finished our dinner someone pointed out - where do they get that many pineapple halves to serve their rice in? Lol. 

Tom Yum Goong ($10)

You get a choice of either seafood or prawns and we went with prawns. This definitely did pack it's punch and there were decent amounts of bursty prawns to go around. It had the right balance of sweet, sour and spicy but this isn't the best Tom Yum Goong in Singapore. You see, I think the soup isn't just about having the right balance it needs to be searingly aromatic as well. The lemongrass, the coriander roots, the lime leaves...it's about the layer of flavours. (Okay..I am quite passionate about my Tom Yum!) 

 Baked prawns with glass noodles in claypot ($18) 

You know how during steamboat sessions, when everyone is done and all that's left in the pot is some really concentrated stock that's bubbling away till it's nearly dried up and you throw in some glass noodles to soak it all up? It's sort of the best part of the meal isn't it? Well this tasted exactly like that. All that prawny goodness being sucked up by the noodles - it was so flavourful and borderline of being too salty but still bearable so all that goes on in your head is "this is damn tasty". The noodles were the best part of the dish really, the prawns were so overcooked they could not be any more dead but that's forgivable because the noodles were really that good!

Red ruby ( $3)

Red ruby (Tub Tim Grob) is possibly even better that bubble milk teas especially in this crazy humid weather we've been having lately in Singapore. It's basically a coconut based dessert with little red "rubies" which are tiny cubes of water chestnut covered in tapioca flour and tinted pink/red. The tapioca flour coating is exactly like pearls in your milk tea, they're chewy and basically tasteless so the chestnuts provide the crunchy contrast of textures and bursts of sweetness. A little disappointed by this that night because it was as if the red rubies were left out a little too long they lost their chewiness and they all stuck together like overnight refrigerated tapioca pearls. 

Mango sticky rice ($6)

The rice was amazing. Perfectly cooked coconut milk infused rice with just the right amount of salt and served warm with sweet gorgeous mangoes. Perfect way to end the meal.

I'm dying to go back to have the catfish salad and glass noodles...hits and misses there so be smart about what you order!

Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant @ Golden Mile Complex
5001 Beach Road, #01-67
+65 6293 5101

Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant @ Geylang
221 Geylang Road (beside Lorong 7)
+65 67428664