Lobster tomyum and other Thai stories at Niyom 26

Fans of authentic Thai cuisine are in for a treat as Niyom 26 opens at Tropicana Gardens Mall. Located on the concourse floor of the mall, Niyom 26 is a spin-off of the established Thai restaurant Baan 26 at Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.

“Our menu serves all authentic Thai dishes, and we truly believe that classic is the best,” says the founder Chai Kah Fei, better known as Fei. “After 16 years, Baan 26 is ready to expand its family and give diners an elevated experience.”

The word ‘niyom’ means popular and famous in Thai, and what sets Niyom 26 apart from others is the delicious Lobster Tomyam. For our review, this stood out from the rest of the dishes and there was plenty of other luscious seafood in the pot as well. The piquant soup was everything tomyum should be – sweet, spicy, sour and savoury – and you can up the spice level if you prefer a spicier rendition. I felt RM180 for this was a very good deal as a full lobster don’t come cheap.

Another signature dish is the Lime & Chili Steamed Sea Bass, tangy medley of spicy and sour gravy over fresh sea bass, using freshly squeezed lime juice and balanced portion of bird chili.

Rest of Niyom 26’s menu consists of a choice of “best of” what Baan 26″. The other dishes we tried were some – fish cake, raw shrimp in spicy fish sauce, pineapple fried rice, som tom (papaya salad), stir-fried brinjal and pandan chicken. In particular, the raw shrimp, akin to cerviche, was new to me with hidden ‘bombs’ so this should be approached with caution. Loved this unusual pairing with bitter gourd!

Quite a lot of effort has been put to achieve an authentic Thai ambience at Niyom 26. To achieve a vibrant and sophisticated aesthetic, Fei worked closely with renowned designer Orson Liyu who infused the three sections with a different colour theme. The red main dining area plays on ‘East meets West’, with classic chandelier and ancient wood craft, highlighting while the purple private dining area features elephant pop art, Fei’s favourite animal. The orange-themed peacock corner is centered around the bar, promising delicious drinks to complement the palate.

Prices are decent for a resto in a mall setting and this is certainly a great Thai option for folks from this part of town.

Add: Niyom 26, Lot CC-40, Concourse Floor, Tropicana Gardens Mall, 2A, Persiaran Surian, Tropicana Indah, Petaling Jaya. call 019 204 9926