Taste Test: Green Thai Curry With Chicken

THAI BAN
Shop No.8 & 9, Gaspar Enclave, St. John’s Road, Pali Naka, Bandra (West). Tel: 2645 9775.
Price: Rs320.
Sadly, for a restaurant that only serves Thai fare, Thai Ban serves pretty mediocre Thai curry. A thick layer of oil pools over the murky green dish, and even after you spoon it out, the greasy taste of oil lingers in the thick, creamy curry, which is more sweet than spicy. The chicken pieces are well cooked but the curry is so rich that you may not be able to eat more than a few spoonfulls. ★★☆☆☆

BUSABA
Mandlik Road, near Indigo, Colaba. Tel: 2204 3769. Also at Mathuradas Mills Compound, next to Blue Frog, Tulsi Pipe Road, Lower Parel. Tel: 6747 8971.
Price: Rs395.
Busaba’s aromatic Thai chicken curry is of a watery consistency and yet remarkably flavourful. It contains fragrant Thai basil leaves and a few pea aubergines that are bitter in taste. The curry is served with a complimentary bowl of long-grained steamed rice, but if you want to jazz up the meal a little more, order their sticky rice, which pairs better with the curry. Our only complaint with the dish was that it had too few pieces of chicken. ★★★☆☆

THE TASTY TANGLES
Pinnacle House, Level 1, P. D. Hinduja Marg, off Linking Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 6709 4444.
Price: Rs349.
Even though noodles are the mainstay of this South-East Asian restaurant, they serve a commendable green Thai curry with chicken, which includes diced aubergines, Thai basil and French beans. It’s an excellent albeit fiery curry with a daunting amount of heat, marred only by the tough pieces of batter-fried chicken. ★★★☆☆

LEMON GRASS
Shop No.4, Carlton Court, junction of Turner Road and Pali Naka, Bandra (West). Tel: 2642 9193.
Price: Rs295.
The thin, grey-ish looking curry had tender pieces of chicken and a nice crunch courtesy of large chunks of carrot, French beans and babycorn. The dish had plenty of meat and veggies, but the chef was equally heavy handed with the chilli making the curry far too spicy for our palate. ★★1/2

KOH WINNER
InterContinental Marine Drive, 135 Marine Drive. Tel: 3987 9999.
Price: Rs695.
The perfect ratio of coconut milk to spice, Koh’s rich curry, with both white and dark meat chicken pieces, is about as close to perfection as it gets. The tangy pea aubergines, water chestnuts and red chillis add further bite, while the generous portion size (more than enough for four people) helps temper price shock. ★★★★☆

THAI PAVILION
Vivanta by Taj President, 90 Cuffe Parade. Tel: 6665 0808.
Price: Rs575.
Thai Pavillion’s chicken Thai curry scores for its fiery taste, which is undercut somewhat by an overdose of lemon grass and basil. Fussy eaters will appreciate the small, white-meat pieces of chicken, though we found the flavour of the coconut milk to be overshadowed by the lemongrass. ★★★1/2

INDIA JONES WINNER
Trident, Nariman Point. Tel: 6632 4343.
Price: Rs735.
Like Koh’s, India Jones’s Thai curry scores on taste, appearance and portion size, which is why it ties as the winner. The thick, creamy curry is deliciously spicy, with tender chunks of chicken, aubergine, pea aubergines and basil. At Rs735, it’s also the most expensive, but does come with a portion of white rice. ★★★★☆