Hidden down a long corridor on the seventh floor of New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, Fall in Thai is a welcome addition to the F&B offerings at the cavernous shopping mall. The bright, stylish eatery is an import from Shanghai, where its signature Thai hotpot broths debuted in 2019, enjoying high praise ever since and expanding with a further six branches in Shanghai and one in Nanjing.
As is the case with most F&B brands from China that we’ve experienced, the service and attention to detail are worthy of mention. Complimentary shrimp crackers, mints, and flavoured water are available to diners whilst thy wait for a table, and kids are normally given their own plate on the house, featuring fried flat rice noodles with ham and veg, shrimp patties, snacks, and fruits – making Fall in Thai a top contender for family-friendly dining.
To savour the diversity of Fall in Thai’s broths, we recommend going for a broth combo (HKD158–178) and then choosing the tom yum goong shrimp broth and coconut milk chicken broth for your duo. The signature slow-cooked broths are made fresh each day, and you can smell this vibrant freshness when they’re first brought over to the table. The tom yum goong broth is loaded with shrimp heads, shells, and flesh and clams, which are first wok-fried with chilli paste to draw out their natural aromas and flavours. Definitely take a ladeful of this tangy, spicy, sweet, aromatic broth on its own, sipping slowly, before adding in your chosen ingredients.
Equally delicious, the creamy coconut milk chicken broth is rich and comforting, made with fresh coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut milk, and coconut paste.
Three homemade dipping sauces – a spicy Thai basil green sauce, soy sauce with Sichuan peppercorn, and a chunky sweet-and-sour sauce – come with the broths in order to enhance the simmered ingredients, but honestly, the broths themselves are so delicious, we don’t think the sauces are needed (and they sometimes overpower the broths’ inherent flavours).
This theatrical seafood treasure chest (HKD488 for 2 or HKD588 for 3–4), arriving in a cloud of dry ice, is inclusive of one type of broth as part of the restaurant’s seafood combo. The premium seafood, all fresh local catches, is high quality and abundant, from shrimp, to giant clams, to abalone, to grass carp.
What’s hotpot without a platter of well-marbled beef? The Fall in Thai beef platter (HKD288) gives diners a diverse selection of short rib, oyster blade, fatty beef, and beef tongue. The texture of each cut is spot on, with our pick going to the luscious fatty beef slices, which cook in seconds and nearly melt in the mouth.
We also tried the assorted meatball platter (HKD59), which offers four different meatballs –
hand-pounded shrimp ball, hand-pounded cuttlefish ball, Chaoshan beef ball, and Chaoshan
pork ball. Bouncy yet firm, these make for great bite-sized dippers.
Alongside hotpot, Fall in Thai serves up authentic Thai street food like lemongrass chicken wings, satay chicken skewers, and handmade shrimp patties. We went for this gloriously juicy, smoky, and tender grilled pork neck (HK$68).
The desserts are also hits at Fall in Thai. The artfully presented mango sticky rice (HKD58) is textbook perfect in terms of flavour and execution, but it’s the whole coconut pudding (HKD58) that’s the stuff of our sweet dreams. Cold, creamy, milky, and oh-so-coconutty, we love the addition of toasted coconut flakes on top (we could have done with another layer); this is the ideal cooling dessert following a spice-packed Thai meal.
Finally, you shouldn’t leave Fall in Thai without ordering a refreshing bevvy. We rate the Thai Mango Crush (HKD42) – which reminds us of the mango concoctions at Hong Kong’s dearly departed dessert chain Hui Lau Shan – for its delectable mix of mango, pomelo, coconut milk, and sago.
Our verdict of Fall in Thai
It might sound corny after just one visit, but we’ve already fallen for Fall in Thai. The homemade Thai hotpot broths are authentic, fresh, and absolutely scrumptious, whilst the quality of the seafood and meat offerings, Thai street food, desserts, and drinks is also commendable – all at a very reasonable price tag. Set in a smart and comfortable space with attentive service, this is shopping-mall dining at its finest.
Fall in Thai, Shop 708, 7/F, Phase I, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, 2618 0992
| Order this: tom yum goong shrimp broth, seafood treasure chest, whole coconut pudding Price for two: HKD400–600 | Atmosphere: bright, airy, and family friendly Perfect for: hotpot fans who also love Thai food |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
