Khunthai Thai Food Restaurant in Petaling Jaya
Khunthai Thai Food Restaurant is a trendy restaurant in Petaling Garden or Section 5 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Many people keep asking me about nice restaurants in PJ, and this is one of them.
Before I go on, I want to stress that I grew up in Petaling Gardens or Section 5 since 1971. So, what has come and gone in this little section of P.J. has always been in my mind.
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| Khunthai restaurant entrance. |
This restaurant was opened around 2005 in the area known to most PJ people as Section 5 or near Kavithas Indian Food in Petaling Garden.
Another good landmark would be the PJ Old Town Roundabout. Khunthai also means Thai People in the native language and has branches in Butterworth, Penang and recently in Puchong.
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| The menu at Khuntai Restaurant in PJ. |
When I first went there in 2006, the place was pretty new, and there were few people there. Those who came were curious, and Khuntai Thai Restaurant is now almost famous by word of mouth.
What kind of crowd goes there? Families, expatriates, companies, friends, and even lovebirds. It’s best to go in a group of four or six people.
So, what makes Khuntai Thai Restaurant so special? The food is good compared to the many other Thai restaurants.
If you are a real Thai Food junkie, you would remember that one place many, many years ago inside Sungai Buloh where it was really excellent Thai food.
Eventually, they made much money and moved into a palace inside Kampung Melayu Sungai Buloh.
Anyway, Khuntai Thai Restaurant reminds me of that old place in Sungai Buloh. Nice ambience and great food.
Food to Order at Khunthai Restaurant PJ
Kedondong drink.You should order the Kedondong (Ambarella) Juice with Sour Plum to start the ball rolling. This is served in a plastic jug with whiskey glasses.
Something different and really nice if you like the mixture. Well, most Malaysians love it. If not, they have other drinks available, from juices to beer.
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| The Thai lemon sauce fish at Khunthai. |
One of the must-try dishes at Khunthai Restaurant is the trendy Steamed Fish in a Thai lemon-style sauce.
The owner claims they use White Sea Bass instead of the normal type most restaurants use, as the white sea bass does not produce that fishy smell.
This dish is unique because the steamed fish is served over a charcoal fire on a little stone stove. The sauce with the fish is one of the best sauces I have tasted. On the sour side, you can just drink it as it is.
Charcoal fire warming for the fish.
On a side note, the charcoal can be quite hot if placed next to you, so it would be advised to put it away from the diners. Unless, of course, you are feeling cold and need some warmth.
Fish in Thai style with soup.Another plus point about the Fish in Thai Style sauce is that the special soup can be refilled anytime. Just ask any of the waiters, and they will top it up.
As the fish slowly cooks over the charcoal fire, its juices enter the sauce, making this dish unique. After about 15 minutes, the soup tastes really great, and this is when you start to drink it by itself.
If you do not top it up, the fish will stick to the bottom of the dish, and you start to get the burnt smell.
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| Thai prawn cakes with batter. |
One of the dishes that tasted quite good was the Thai Prawn Cakes cooked in batter. Strangely, they did not have the common Thai Fish Cakes. I wonder why. Next time around, I will ask them.
Seafood Tom Yum is everyone’s favourite.The Seafood Tom Yum was also quite tasty, fresh and recommended. After all, you are in a Thai restaurant.
The dish had an average portion of prawns, fish, and squid cooked in a traditional tom tumult aluminium pot.
My buddies say I am not a huge chilli lover, but this tom yum dish was much better than many other places.
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| Famous nameless chicken at Khunthai Restaurant. |
One of the quirky names on the menu was ordered, and this Thai-style fried chicken was on the crunchy side and tasted really good.
The checkout bill calls this dish ‘Nameless Chicken’. I guess the owner and cook could not decide on a better name for it.
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| Thai Chicken Laap is a popular dish here. |
Overall, the dishes were excellent, and there were no complaints. Why? Because of their variety and the items you do not usually see on a Thai Menu.
One of the dishes was a tad disappointing: the Lap or Laap, which was not up to Thai standards.
I have tasted the real thing in Bangkok, Cambodia, and Laos. What we are having here is far from what you get there. Read about my Lao food experience in Laos.
Put it this way: If you go to the UK and order Chicken Rice, it doesn’t taste like what you get at home.
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| Khunthai restaurant’s total bill for four persons. |
Diners at Khuntai Thai Restaurant.
Finally, I recommend you go either before or after the peak crowd. If you go during lunch or dinner, you may have to wait a little. But the service is entirely acceptable and fast overall.
Address to Khunthai Authentic Thai Restaurant;
6 Jalan 5/44,
Petaling Garden,
Off Jalan Gasing,
Petaling Jaya 46000
Selangor
Telephone: 03-7781 7523
Business Hours are 11.00 am to 3.00 pm / 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm.
*Update 2017 – I wonder if this restaurant is still operational. Best to call or check on Google.
Conclusion
For those looking for some nice Thai food in PJ, a few restaurants are available to suit your taste, and each person has their own preferences.
After living here in PJ for almost four decades, I have seen and tried many places; some have seized operations, while many have lost their touch.
For the new generation of food bloggers, you may have missed the good old days of pure dedication in the food industry, but modernization has changed the concept of eating nowadays.
For years, I have been sourcing out distinguished places to eat, and Khunthai Thai Restaurant in Petaling Jaya is one of the rare ones. I am sure many of you will agree.
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