Lisa Marie is a vibrant, beautiful and radiant woman I met back when I worked in the women’s shoe department at Bloomingdale’s. I couldn’t sell a shoe to save my life, but meeting her was single-handedly the best outcome of that job. She is one of the most fun people I have ever met. So it was fitting that she accompanied me to dinner at one of the most fun restaurants I’ve ever been to: SingSing Thai Street Food in Chinatown.
The neon sign in the window was captivating, and so was the employee who took us to our table. As he was passing a wall full of colorful marigold flowers, he stopped to take a selfie with a group on their way out. It was unusual but endearing, and it sparked my curiosity for the rest of the evening.
“You know that men don’t eat dessert, right?” he told a gentleman at the table next to us who was mid-bite into a Thai tea caramel custard ($9) served with ice cream. Now folks, I have a problem with laughing anywhere and everywhere I go, so I obviously broke out into a fit. Thankfully the table next to us had the same spirit. That’s the spirit of SingSing: laid back, lighthearted, positively energetic and effervescent.
Our waitress was as fun as our host, who gave suggestions on what to order. We started with the Jatujak baby potatoes ($5), which were crispy, buttery and flavorful. I shared some of our potatoes with the group sitting opposite of us because that’s the kind of place this restaurant was — everyone became our friend.
We also ordered the raw ahi betel wrap ($14), which was our favorite dish of the night. The fish was fresh, and the flavors were bold, zesty and came together nicely with turmeric relish, basil, chile, lime and lemongrass. The chicken cilantro salad ($13) was recommended by our waitress as a popular choice, and it was refreshing with bell peppers, shallots, ginger, cilantro and Nam Yum dressing.
The establishment’s decor was as bright and fun as the employees, with colorful draperies on the walls and a mural of people eating food on what I assumed to be the streets of Thailand.
Believe it or not Crave readers, but I’m on the shy side and don’t usually chat with strangers. However, this restaurant forced me to get friendly; the tables were so close together I could hear the gentlemen next to us discussing their dating app escapades. Spirits were very loose with a BYOB policy.
Speaking of which, our loose-spirited host recommended the tom yum fried rice ($20), which came with shrimp, mushrooms, lemongrass, chile jam and lime. It paired extremely well with the green curry ($22), which we got with chicken, eggplant, green beans, basil, coconut and chile. The curry was a little spicy, but it wasn’t overwhelming and the sweetness in the coconut milk helped balance everything out.
The restaurant emphasized authenticity in its dishes, which worked in tandem with the service we received.
Dishes were a homage to traditional Thai street food, not the Americanized version that’s been popularized. Each bite was flavorful, fresh and fun. Most importantly, the staff wasn’t treating us any differently than they would their friends, and I thought that added a lot to the overall experience.
There was authenticity and beauty all around SingSing Thai Street Food, with the exception of one thing: I do think men are allowed to eat dessert.
SingSing Thai Street Food
Address
1030 Smith St Ste. 6, Honolulu
Phone
808-785-6463
Hours
5-10 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays;
5-10:30 p.m. Thursdays – Saturdays
Closed Mondays
Instagram
@singsing.hawaii
Food: 4/5
Price: $ $
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Parking: Street parking
