Cafe Siam   ( Relocated:  )

If it's a weekend and there are more than four (4) of you eating, I suggest that you call ahead and make a booking. Otherwise, just show up at the door and enjoy.

Cafe Siam has got the Central-restaurant vibe balance down pat - located along Lyndhurst Terrace, almost right below the mid-levels escalator, it is very accessible and easy to find. It has a fairly nice exterior that projects an image of affordability without looking like a fast-food joint. I like how they employ Thai personnel to further project an image of authenticity; and I appreciate the assertiveness of the server who waited on us that night - she made suggestions on what to order and which dish goes well with which other dish, provided us with additional information on the food that we were interested in trying, etc. We ordered a couple of appetizers:
We had the mixed satay (chicken and beef). (The chicken satay were immediately gobbled up so they weren't included in the picture.)
Then we had some deep-fried shrimp cake which were absolutely perfect! Crisp and lightly-bready on the outside, soft and very shrimp-y on the inside. We also had some deep-fried prawn spring rolls which were absolutely delectable. I like it that the spring roll wrap remained crispy long after the food had gotten cold.

We also ordered some pandan chicken which were very nice and tender (I've had some chicken pandan at other restaurants where the chicken is about as tough as soggy plywood). And then we had pineapple rice which was a cacophony of different tastes - salty, sweet and sour all at once because of the many ingredients mixed in. Even the texture was an amazing mix of soft, fluffy, crunchy and chewy.

All in all, it was a very satisfying dining experience - the food was delicious, the staff were efficient, even the music being played seemed to fit in very well with the restaurant vibe. Definitely a place worth going back to.

I am a regular Cafe Siam lunch customers. The food is still on average but the service is really getting worse. They just put the dishes on the plate that we have just finished. THis is a restaurant, not a Tai Pai Tong. How can this be. We gently asked for warm water, and the waitress looks rude. Then gave us a cup of boling water. (no kidding, it's really so hot) that we can't even drink.

Hope the comments here can alert them; otherwise, just to let them know there are still lots of good choices at Soho area.