In that no-man’s-land of Hollywood Road between the Central–Mid-Levels escalators and Sheung Wan’s Man Mo Temple sits Yaowarat, an independent Thai restaurant opened by a group of Thai-loving locals.
Without any bells and whistles, the founders have recruited a charming Thai chef to oversee the open kitchen, and he’s got the restaurant’s authentic flavours spot on. Adding to Yaowarat’s low-key appeal are the good-natured Filipino wait staff, cool-cat decor, and rock-and-roll playlist, which all set the scene for success.
Quality Thai cuisine in Hong Kong often comes at much higher prices than its Chinese and Vietnamese counterparts, which befuddles us as we’ve had some of the greatest – and cheapest – meals of our life in Thailand. Yaowarat’s affordable prices mirror the famous street in Bangkok’s Chinatown for which it is named; the restaurant is certainly not as dirt cheap as Bangkok street food, but we’re dealing with Hong Kong’s soaring rental costs here.
The lunch menu in particular is extremely good value for money, priced at just HKD118 for a main dish with the soup of the day – that’s quite a bit less than the lunch menus offered at popular neighbouring Thai restaurants.
In terms of the à-la-carte selections, there’s a wide variety of good pickings from across Thailand. A must to start is the pork salad (HKD138), otherwise known as larb, a traditional rustic Isaan salad made of pork mince that’s loaded with fresh herbs, fish sauce, shallot, and lime.
We can’t get enough of this salad’s bold palate whack, and Yaowarat’s version is authentically spicy, tangy, and salty, perfect wrapped in the accompanying crisp cabbage leaves.
Yaowarat’s Hat Yai fried chicken (HKD148) has quickly garnered acclaim. A signature in the southern city of Hat Yai near the Malaysian border, the juicy and tender yellow chicken oozes with a rich umami flavour that’s made this recipe beloved throughout Thailand.
The chef is hush-hush about his “secret” marinade recipe, but we’re told fish sauce is a major component. The skin is thin and crispy, and the topping of deep-fried shallot adds a hint of sweetness to both the bird and sticky rice served on the side. This is a definite rival for best fried chicken in town!
Difficult to come by in Hong Kong, khao soi is our favourite Thai noodle dish of all, eclipsing even Thailand’s more well-known boat noodles and pad thai; this northern Thai recipe featuring a rich and fragrant coconut-milk curry broth, melt-in-the-mouth braised chicken, and egg noodles is an explosion of vibrant flavour and texture.
Yaowarat’s khao soi gai (HKD158) is a solid rendition, albeit a bit oiler than we prefer. We especially enjoyed the noodles, which come in two forms: al dente and chewy versus deep-fried and crispy. If there’s any broth left after slurping up the noods, we suggest spooning it over some steamed rice (ah, the simple joys of life).
Our final dish was the stir-fried beef (HKD168), which most of us in the Thai know would refer to as pad kra pao, a staple recipe usually made with chicken or pork mince and an ample amount of pungent Thai holy basil.
The only dish we sampled at Yaowarat lacking in authentic heat (especially because it’s denoted on the menu with three chillies, indicating it should be super spicy), the USDA Prime beef chuck used makes this plate feel more premium.
We didn’t have room for the mango sticky rice (HKD108), one of only two desserts on the menu (the other is water chestnut with coconut sorbet for HKD88), but the staff were gracious enough to offer it to go. As expected, Yaowarat doesn’t disappoint with this iconic Thai dessert.
Our verdict of Yaowarat
Yaowarat is an excellent addition to Hong Kong’s burgeoning Thai food scene. It’s headed by a Thai chef who knows his stuff, the prices are reasonable, the flavours are genuine, the space is aesthetically pleasing, and the staff are amiable and accommodating. What more could we ask for?
Yaowarat, Shop C, G/F, CentreStage, 108 Hollywood Road, Central, 7010 9445, book here
| Order this: pork salad, fried chicken, khao soi, pad see ew, massaman pork cheek, green chicken curry, mango sticky rice Menu: not available online Price for two: HKD400–600 | Atmosphere: the chilled space, decked out with vintage Thai ads plastered on the walls, has found a perfect home on always-hip Hollywood Road Perfect for: anyone who craves authentic and wallet-friendly flavours from the Land of Smiles, be it a group of colleagues or a casual date-night duo |
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.
