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Singapore is hardly short of Thai restaurants. You can likely find decent versions of tom yum goong, pad kra pao or any of the classics across almost every neighbourhood. Laotian cuisine, however, is a much rarer find. Which is why when we first caught wind of Ma Der Kin Khao in March, a new Laotian restaurant which quietly opened late last year, we knew we had to try it for ourselves.
The eatery occupies a corner unit in the basement of City Gate, serving up a mix of Lao and Isan Thai dishes – the cuisine from Northeastern Thailand that shares deep cultural and culinary roots with neighbouring Laos. Its location in City Gate is also fitting, since the mall is already home to a small cluster of Thai F&B spots, including some of our existing favourites like Beer Thai House (formerly at Golden Mile Complex) and Golden Banana for its banana fritters.
'Ma Der Kin Khao' means 'come and eat rice' in Lao, which sums up the restaurant's warm and fuss-free approach. Expect a casual setup with wooden tables, neon lights and simple decor, plus friendly service from the Singaporean owner, who'll gladly explain the less common dishes on the menu and give suggestions. He runs the restaurant with his wife, a Laos native, and the restaurant's chef, also from Laos.
Prices are also reasonable – everything on the menu is nett, and drinks are surprisingly affordable too. While most Thai restaurants charge around $3 to $3.50 for a cup of Thai iced milk tea, Ma Der Kin Khao's drinks are priced at $2 and $2.50, including iced milk tea, green milk tea, lemongrass pandan tea, coffee, and homemade iced lemon tea and lemonade soda.
Make sure to go with friends so you can order a bunch of dishes to share. We start with the highly raved ho mok kai kon (seafood creamy omelette, $14). Unlike a usual kai jeow or Thai omelette, this features red curry paste and coconut milk beaten into eggs, and has a slightly runny and gooey consistency. It's served over cabbage with three large prawns and squid, with a gentle fragrance from the basil leaves – an easy crowd-pleaser that goes down well with rice.
We were most excited to try the soop pak Lao (Laos mixed vegetable salad, $8), a dish you won't find in any other restaurant in Singapore. This Laotian speciality is made with blanched water spinach, mushrooms, black fungus and sesame seeds, tossed in a peanut-heavy sauce that reminds us of Chinese sesame paste. Fermented fish sauce and the heat from chillies are supposed to come through as well, but they are not quite detectable for us, which makes this a very approachable introduction to the cuisine.
The laab ped (grilled minced duck salad, $14) is another highlight. This traditional minced meat salad from Laos and Isan sometimes comes in versions like pork or catfish, but here the duck meat adds a firmer bite, its minced texture almost reminiscent of sisig. While this definitely sits on the funkier side, with the fermented fish sauce coming through quite strongly, the onions, kaffir lime and mint leaves help to balance out the bold flavours.
Perhaps the most adventurous dish we ordered – to the owner's hesitation – was the kaeng nor mai (Bamboo stew, $16). The dark, peppery soup comes loaded with bamboo shoots, black fungus and fermented crabs, with most of the flavour coming from the base of yanang leaf extract, a common ingredient in Lao cooking, as well as phak kha (climbing wattle leaves), which has a distinct aroma that gives the broth a unique herbal taste that grows on us over time. If you enjoy bamboo shoots in ramen, you'll appreciate the same crunchy texture here.
And if it all sounds too foreign, fret not, there are also familiar dishes that still hit home, from grilled marinated chicken and beef brisket (from $10), to moo ping (pork skewers, $6 for three pieces), pad kra pao (basil pork rice, $8) as well as tom yum seafood soup ($15) and steamed whole seabass with lime ($26).
Time Out's rating: 4/5
Ma Der Kin Khao's biggest strength is its combination of Laotian and Isan Thai flavours, something genuinely unique in a city already overflowing with Thai options. There's still a fair share of Thai cuisine's greatest hits, like the good ol' tom yum goong, moo ping and basil pork stir-fries – enough to convince even the pickiest eaters in your group to come along. But what you're really here for is the Lao food.
While there's currently no other benchmark in Singapore, everything is whipped up according to tried-and-tested home-cooked recipes, so you know you're in good hands. Overall, it's a solid introduction to Lao cuisine, and we'll definitely be back to try other signature dishes, like the Laos papaya salad and beef and vegetable stew, which the owner highly recommends.
Ma Der Kin Khao is open from Tuesday to Thursday, noon to 9.30pm, and Friday to Sunday, noon to 10pm, at 371 Beach Rd, City Gate, B1-22, Singapore 199597. Find out more about Ma Der Kin Khao here.
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