Restaurant: Nara Thai Cuisine @ New Town Plaza, Shatin
Cuisine: Thai
Meal: Lunch
📍: Hong Kong, Shatin
Shop 507, 5/F, New Town Plaza Phase I, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
Owner: Narawadee Srikarnchana (Yuki)
Story Time
Nara Thai Cuisine has 2 locations in Hong Kong (Shatin and TST).
After a strenuous hike up 10,000 Buddha Temple for some content filming in Shatin, my friend Lauren and I headed over to New Town Plaza for a late lunch.
Nara is my go-to place when I’m in the area and wanting Thai. My vegetarian friend Asher recommended this place to me due it’s nice vegetarian selection (it’s a bit hard to find vegetarian friendly restaraunts in Hong Kong sometime).
Right in the large shopping center connected to Shatin Train Station, this restaurant is easily assessible.
Video Review
Our Order:
Even though it was busy lunch hour, we got seated right away. Ordering is by QR code and you order on your own. Most items have an option to customize your plate, like my thai tea had the option for more or less ice, more orless sugar, etc.
Lauren got the $78 Hainese Chicken Rice set that came with a free lemon tea.
I got the $138 combo which came with a Main + Start/ Soup + Veggies and a drink for a small additional fee. This is what I ordered:
- Chicken Green Curry with Jasmine Rice
- Soup of the Day: Coconut Chicken (spicy optional)
- Vegetarian Papaya Salad
- Thai Iced Tea (+$10)
It came out to be a total of $148
Starter/Soup
Coconut Chicken Soup
The first bite shocked me! It was sour. I was NOT expecting it.
With bites of chicken, mushrooms and bamboo shoots, this soup was interesting. Opens the appetite for the remainder of the meal. I opted for the no-spicy option, which I slightly regret, I think a bit of spice would have helped balance this dish a bit more.
Great for people who love a bit of sour soup to start their meal.
Main:
Green Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice
This meal was hearty! Big chunks of chicken thighs and little thai eggplants, the sauce went well with the rice. It was nice having a side of cucumber to bring freshness to the dish.
Upon first bite, you get heavy flavours of lemon grass followed by coconut cream.
The spice level was tolerable leaving you mouth with a slight heat. As you eat, the heat does intensify, but it’s nulled with a swig of water.
This is not recommended for anyone who has zero tolerance to spice, but for a beginner, I would say this is a safe dish to try.
Veggies
Vegetarian Papaya Salad
I LOVE that there are vegetarian options on a lunch set, albeit the mains had zero vegetarian options, just on the appetizers and veggies. A thai papaya salad is usually made with fish sauce, so to see a vegetarian option, I had to order it.
I ordered it with “no spice” and you know what, it had some spice to it!
Like I said in the video, the spice is mild, right at the end where you feel it, but then it’s gone and you wonder if you’re actually tasting it. So you will take another bite and same thing happens again. It’s like chasing after a guy who gives you ambiguous signs and you’re not quite sure if he likes you or not so you keep chasing? Yup, if this salad was a guy, he’d be the “mixed signals” guy.
With julienned green papaya, carrots and green beans, the papaya salad is a munch needed freshness for the heavier curry. It’s light, it’s got a bit of a zing at the end and it is probably one of my favourite dishes during lunch. He’s the mixed signals guy that gives you a bit of fleeting spice at the end leaving you wanting more.
Drink
Iced Thai Tea
With the salad leaving you wanting more with that spice, this tea is exactly what it needs to satisfy that missing need for something. The bit of creamy sweetness.
I ordered mine with less sugar, less ice as I find most Thai teas are super sweet. The less sugar and less ice for me was PERFECT.
It was refreshing, it was creamy, it was sweet, and it helped bring the whole meal together.
Final Words
For under $150 ($18USD) where you get a main, an appetiser and a side dish, followed by a drink with an additional $10HKD ($1.25USD) for authentic Thai, I really can’t fault it, especially when most Thai places in Hong Kong are some fusioned version to please the local palette.
Situated in a mall that sells higher quality brand names, I would say this is a good value for your meal.
Next time you are in Shatin and want Thai, this is a place to check out.
Check out the video below for the full video on my meal at Nara!
Uncertified Rating:
Out of 10:
Ambiance: 8
Food: 8.5
Service: 7
Spacious and modern, the food is good, the seating is great.