The ambience at Sriracha is casual; the food is anything but. Prepared with care by Chef Vikas Seth and his team, the dishes at Sriracha are a treat to the eyes and the palate, each presented with a little twist that sets it apart. For instance, the Som Tam or green papaya salad stands out with the chef’s addition of grapefruit, Malta oranges and his own special house sauce. Plus, it is hand-pounded and tossed at your table.
Every dish is accompanied by a different sauce that enhances its flavour. Whether it is a spicy lemon dip for the tamarind and lemongrass chicken or a plum and pineapple salsa for the turmeric and chilli king prawns, the taste lingers long after the dish is gone.
Especially succulent is the char siu pork belly served with a traditional Chinese sauce usually made by combining honey, five-spice powder, red fermented bean curd, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce and other ingredients.
Do not pass up the Pandan leaf-wrapped cottage cheese. With its chilli coriander soy sauce, this starter surpasses most non-vegetarian dishes and gives the humble paneer a place in the sun.
Perhaps the best thing about Sriracha is the varied options available for vegetarians, whether in the starters or main course. For instance, sweet potatoes dusted with togarashi ( Japanese spice mixture) or charred broccoli with chilli sauce are not commonplace on menu cards. Ditto for the roasted pumpkin and water chestnut dim sums or the crispy all-green uramaki which is an asparagus, avocado and cucumber sushi option.
Sushi lovers should try the OMG sushi roll — a hearty mouthful of seafood goodness. Nori (Japanese for edible seaweed) holds vinegar rice, tuna, crab and salmon together. The sushi is flambeed at the table, adding a special touch to the presentation that is a hallmark of the dishes at Sriracha.
What could be the biggest draw at Sriracha is the circular Cambodian-style barbeque table. Meats, vegetables and soup surround the centre of the grill; noodles and jasmine rice are served alongside.
Whatever be your choices at Sriracha, make sure you leave room for dessert. The banana cake is served with salted date caramel and an in-house coconut ice cream that sits lightly on the tongue. Garnished with almond crisps and swirls of tender coconut, it is perfect for two if you are the sharing kind. The same can’t be said for the Sumatra dark chocolate mousse served atop coconut cream and embellished with crushed peanut tuile – there is an overwhelming temptation to be selfish.
For those who’ve indulged a bit too much and have only a wee bit of space for something sweet, the sesame honey mini cones are just the thing.
