Having lived in Malaysia for a long time, I always feel that the Thai food I eat in Malaysia is completely different from the Thai food I had in Thailand. Naturally, the ingredients and spices used to cook the same Thai food are completely different in Thailand and Malaysia. Therefore, it is not easy to find the same taste and flavor as authentic Thai food enjoyed in Thailand.
In Malaysia, some of my Thai friends prefer to cook with their own ingredients and Thai curry paste brought from Thailand. Of course, when they are too busy to cook, they will go to a 100% Thai owned restaurant where real Thai food is served.
It is quite surprising that the food is so different even though Malaysia and Thailand border each other. Moreover, my local Malaysian friends may have been to Thailand’s famous holiday destination “Phuket” or the shopping capital “Bangkok”, but they don’t really know the local Thai market food eaten by ordinary Thai locals or visiting the Thai countryside, so called “Kampong food” in Malaysia.
So, I would like to introduce a Thai restaurant called “Waneeda” in the neighborhood “Kota Damansara”, Petaling Jaya where I live. When I moved to this area, I found a Thai restaurant, and I was so excited that I sat down and ordered some of the food I used to eat in Thailand. However, in my opinion, I am sure that 70% of the food items here served are close to Thai food in regards to the flavors, aromas and taste. That is considered very good, unlikely 100 % in Malaysia.
Also, the restaurant itself uses halal food and ingredients, and the cuisine overlaps between the Muslim Kelantanese food of North Malaysian region and the halal version Thai food in the southern province of Thailand. This means that it is not a non-halal dish that can be eaten widely in Chiang Mai in the Northern Thailand, or very spicy Thai cuisine that tastes similar to Laos.
In fact, most dishes at Waneeda are really delicious in its own way, but the Thai spiciness or strong aromatic flavors are very weak. That said, the use of coconut milk is very little unlike most real Thai dishes.
Instead, there are always a variety of tom yam soup, steamed fish, noodles, fried rice, red or green chicken curry, papaya salad(somtam), mango salad, bitter gourd, and kangkong etc, which are commonly eaten as Thai food in Malaysia.
Also, my favorite item at “Waneeda restaurant” is by far the papaya salad. I always feel that the papaya salad here in Waneeda, also called “Som tam” in Thai, contains much less ingredients and toppings of stuff in, such as a unique and pungent fermented crab pieces, and chopped raw round shape eggplants when I used to eat in Thailand.
In fact, every time I order, I ask for the som tam to be very spicy, so I get a som tam that is perfect for my taste. Spicy would not be the same if I didn’t mention. So to avoid disappointment, don’t forget to tell them to spice it up when you order the food.
Regardless of the missing ingredients, the crunchy texture of young papaya is still the best and the simplicity gives the taste so amazingly delicious.
And the som tam is enough for the price of RM8, and it is perfect to eat with other side dishes. In addition to the papaya salad, the mango salad made from young mangoes is delicious. Also, it has a nice crunchy texture. But my personal top salad at Waneeda restaurant is always papaya somtam.
It is true that when it comes to Thai food, “tom yam” soup cannot be missed in Thai food.
At Waneeda, the mixed “tom yam” soup is also delicious, thanks to many natural ingredients inside, such as a bunch of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, onions and tomatoes, the broth is citrutic and sour. I love the mixed tom yam soup that comes with chicken, some seafood like pieces of squid and shrimp, topped with chopped coriander and scallion leaves.
Since I am a big fan of any gourds, the more Malaysian adopted bitter gourd and egg mixed dishe is good. Be sure not to miss the bitter gourd food here.
Also, the honey glazed whole roasted chicken is just as delicious. It is good to enjoy the chicken with sweet sour chili sauce together.
Even if you order five or more dishes with a generous amount of white rice together with drinks, the total price is only around RM40. It’s about $10 USD.
I used to go to Waneeda restaurant often, but one time, my friend, Grace and I chose a dessert after the big meal. we had decided to try a glutinous white rice and pandan flavored rice with beautifully sliced water lily honey mangoes, which are common and very famous in most night markets, Thailand.
You can eat it by pouring the condensed coconut milk that comes with it. Since the dessert is RM10, the total price would be about RM50.
You can feel the warm hospitality of the friendly staff, and immediately experience the pleasant conversation of local Malaysian guests sitting at the table next to you. And it’s a place where you can really enjoy a full meal without worrying about your pockets.
Rather than comparing the taste with 100% Thai food eaten in Thailand, it will be a day that will make your mouth and eyes happy and satisfying while experiencing quality food among the Malaysian Thai food that has to offer here.
Every time I went to a restaurant, I took some pictures of delicious food and made videos. Please enjoy watching it. ??
It is a restaurant that guarantees the taste most similar to Thai food you can eat in Malaysia, so please visit and give a try. You won’t regret!
Restoran Waneeda Tomyam
Address: 22A-1, Jalan PJU 5/9, Dataran Sunway, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor