Nung Len – Mackenzie Road, Little India [Permanently Closed]

When the atmosphere of Thailand gets transported to Singapore with a hipster vibe, you get Nung Len, a Thai eatery in Little India. A white tuk-tuk parked outside the restaurant along with wooden benches, auto rickshaw wall art, non air-conditioned space (which you don’t mind on a rainy evening) and Singha beers immediately remind you of Bangkok. Helmed by a Le Cordon Bleu chef, the hints of Western and Thai fanfare that form this fusion menu are quite evident.

Nung Len wall art

Nung Len wall art


Tuk Tuk

Tuk Tuk @Nung Len

The Orders
For the vegetarians, there are limited options on the menu. Since they did not have a menu online, I called them and asked for their veg-specific items while making a reservation. They have some starter and rice options but they were kind enough to accommodate my Green Curry request since I had inquired about it in advance. With Thai cuisine being vegetarian friendly on the whole, I really wish Nung Len adds vegetarian curry options on their menu.

What better way to start a Thai meal than to order ‘Fried Spring Rolls’ for a crunchy and crispy experience. Brimming with vegetables and lot of flavor, these spring rolls made an excellent appetizer.

Fried spring rolls

Fried spring rolls at $6


The Thai signature dish presents itself on the menu in the form of ‘Pineapple Fried Rice’. It was loaded with Thai flavors, pineapple and some Asian vegetables to make it a wholesome offering. The taste was quite decent and it helped that the rice grains were separate.
Pineapple fried rice

Pineapple fried rice at $15


After tasting so many ‘Veg Green Curries’ across Singapore, I have to say this was different. It was not loaded with veggies, and I could only notice eggplant in the gravy which was topped off with huge pieces of grilled tofu. So I had a mixed reaction since I am a fan of veggies in Thai curries. The curry was also thinner than usual and it seemed to have no body. Having said that, the taste was mild but flavorful.
Veg Green Curry

Veg Green Curry at $15


They have a variety of sweet dishes – from the standard Thai ones to cakes and ice cream. We ordered the ‘Mango Sticky Rice’ with a lot of hope and it lived up to the expectation. It was presented beautifully and the blue rice made it visually more appealing. Though this dessert also depends highly on the mango season, I would say it is highly recommended.
Mango Sticky rice

Mango Sticky rice at $6


Another interesting item on their menu was the ‘Mango Lassi Ice cream’. It looked delicious and had a great fragrance. Unfortunately, the taste didn’t live up to expectations. It’s good, but not great.
Ice cream

Mango Lassi Ice cream at $3


Though I am normally not a fan of cheesecake, the ‘Nutella Cheesecake’ looked tempting. It’s a well balanced dessert with the richness and sweetness of the Nutella coming through every spoonful. The toppings add a pleasant contrast to the smoothness of the cheesecake.
Cake

Nutella Cheesecake at $7


Since it was a humid evening, we ordered the ‘Thai Pink Milk’. This drink turned out to be absolutely fantastic. Cold and refreshing with the right notes of sweetness – this drink had it all. Recommended.
drink

Thai Pink Milk


On the whole, there was a wait for at least 30 mins for our orders to appear. I feel this can be improved. There can be more vegetarian options on the menu since what they had to offer did have traditional flavours. The desserts are worth trying. If you are in the area and in a mood for eating Thai, then Nung Len is just a stone’s throw away from Little India MRT.

In a Nutshell Deelightful Rating
Cuisine Type: Thai ★★★
Nearest MRT: Little India
Address: 33 Mackenzie Road, Singapore 228686
Timings: Mon-Sat: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/nunglensg/
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So Pho – Tampines Outlet

One aspect of food experimentation is trying new cuisines. It was nice to see So Pho open a new outlet at Tampines. It opened a while back and I’d been wanting to try it out since I saw a decent number of vegetarian options on their menu. This chain serves Vietnamese cuisine in a casual and contemporary setting. They have the standard Ikea decor but they have personalized it with quotes on the wall with interesting twists on the word ‘Pho’. This is run by Katrina Holdings who also run ‘Bali Thai’ and some other restaurants. This restaurant is Halal-certified.

The Orders
To begin with, we ordered the ‘Banh Mi Chay’ which is the vegetarian traditional Vietnamese baguette. The baguette is crisp and filled with fresh vegetables. When you bite into it, you will enjoy the overall crunch of the baguette with the lettuce. Even though it looks small, it is quite filling.

Banh Mi Chay

Banh Mi Chay at $5.5


Vietnamese cuisine is known for its noodle preparations. Knowing that, we ordered the ‘Bun Dau’ which was a vermicelli-style noodle drizzled with a lively sauce. The vermicelli was made of rice and contained sauteed tofu along with some vegetables. This dish was not as great as we had expected. The noodles were quite greasy and as the heat reduced, became difficult to eat.
Bun dau

Bun Dau at $9.8


I wanted to have rice for the mains and ordered the ‘Com Chen Chay’ which was the Vegetarian Fried Rice. The dish was good to look at when it was served and it ended up being good in taste too. It is served on a lotus leaf in a traditional Vietnamese manner. It has loads of vegetables like carrots, bell pepper, tofu and greens. I enjoyed this dish.
Com chen chay

Com chen chay at $8.8


To beat the Singapore heat, we chose ‘Lemongrass Iced Tea’. It was light and refreshing and not sweet in taste.
Lemongrass iced tea

Lemongrass iced tea at $3.2


It was our lucky day as the ‘Xoi Che Vdi Xoai’ was available in the desserts. This is the famous Mango with Glutinous Rice drizzled with Gula Melaka and sesame seeds. This dessert was extremely good and I am sure that it being the mango season also really helped in nailing this sweet treat.
Mango with glutinous rice

Mango with glutinous rice at $4.8


For their quick service, decent dishes, affordable prices and for a different cuisine experience, So Pho is surely worth trying out. They also have other outlets at Paragon, NEX and JEM.

In a Nutshell Deelightful Rating
Cuisine Type: Vietnamese ★★★
Nearest MRT: Tampines
Address: 4 Tampines Central 5, #04-30, Singapore 529510
Timings: Mon-Sun: 11 am – 10 pm
Website: http://www.katrinahldgs.com/restaurant/Sopho