Frame Thai in Happy Mansion, Section 17 Petaling Jaya (formerly know as Lai Thai Market ) has successfully transformed from a humble mini market selling Thai products into a fully functional cafe focuses on Thai street delights. The restaurant has received much attention from the public, newspapers, magazines and online media, being rated as one of the best places for authentic Thai street food in Klang Valley. Agree or not? For us, not exactly.
Back to the days when Frame Thai was still named as Lai Thai Market, their main customers were Thai restaurants who wish to source condiments, sauces, and fresh produces imported from Thailand. Thai people who stay in Malaysia also visit this place to look for similar items, which could be used for their daily cooking to churn out dishes that taste close to home flavours. In short, it was a Thai market, but with a very small space selling only pork noodles soup, mango sticky rice and som tom to lighten homesick feelings of Thai immigrants. That’s all.
As time goes by, locals also drop by at this place, discovered that the only few cooked food they offer was good. Lai Thai Market began selling Thai pork leg rice, and patrons loved it. Hence, more Thai street food appears on their menu. Food selections continue to grow, and the area for their Thai goods shrink.
Eventually, Happy Mansion Lai Thai Market is rebranded as Frame Thai Cafe, brightly lit, with ample of tables and chairs for proper casual dining. The space for imported Thai groceries are now arranged only at the back of the restaurant. Frame Thai menu is now extensive, ranging from Thai street snack like moo ping, som tam to individual quick meal such as pork leg rice, pad thai, pork noodle soup and ala-carte dishes including tom yum soup, fried pork in red curry, young coconut shoots with red curry etc..
Frame Thai was quite packed during our visit, hence we expected their food would be good. Some mentioned that Go Thai in SS2 PJ serves better Braised Pork Leg Rice, more reasonable price, good service, bla bla…so on and so on. Our experience in Go Thai was decent, but no comparison with Frame Thai at that time, as we didn’t try Frame Thai before.
Until we stepped into Frame Thai, we started to agree what others said. First, service. No one bother us. So we requested for menu. Staffs simply throw the huge menu to us and walked away. Second, price. Didn’t expect food price in Frame Thai will be more expensive than Go Thai for some dishes, judging from the cafe’s condition. Third, taste. Go Thai SS2 Pork Leg Rice is more delicious. Perhaps, by now, there are more restaurants having decent version of Kao Ka Moo.
Pad Thai / Thai Stir-Fry Rice Noodles RM8
Pad Thai arrived in hearty portion, orang-ish in whole. Rice noodles was stirred fried with bean sprouts, cubed beancurd, chives and egg, garnished with toasted peanuts and served with lime wedges. Sweet and wet throughout, no trace of chicken chunks or shrimp but saw a few miserable dried anchovies head in the noodles.
Kao Ka Moo / Braised Pork Leg Rice RM10
We got a lean cut of braised pork leg from Frame Thai staff, generous but lack of fatty, gelatinous layer, hence leading to less satisfying munch. Meat was tough like tucking into shredded chicken breast. Sauce was OK, went well with rice but better if it could be more intense with flavours of meat.
Moo Ping RM4 per stick
We should have told the staff not to slice our Moo Ping. We want to enjoy the grilled pork in its original stick. T_T
Frame Thai grilled pork skewer was the better Thai street snack we had, beautifully grilled to lightly charred at the edge, balanced fat and lean meat to deliver juicy, tender bites throughout, further coated with sticky sweet sauce.
Never ordered any drinks in Frame Thai, as we felt that it was quite expensive for RM5 per glass. In short, our experience in Frame Thai isn’t that bad, but not exceptionally good either. Food taste was fine, considered overpriced but still within acceptable range. Worth a try? Still yes, in case you are nearby Seksyen 17 PJ and looking for a filling meal cost below RM20.
Photography: Summerkid
Write Up : Summergirl
Address:
Kedai Makanan Frame Thai
(* Same row with MM Cafe and FoodLover Cafe)
No AG-3,
Ground Fl,
Block A,
Happy Mansion
Jalan 17/3, Section 17
Seksyen 17, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Contact: 03-7954 4688
Opening Hours : Daily 10AM – 8PM
