Quick Eats: LeWu Cafe

Sometimes we just want an unfussy, quick lunch. Sometimes we don't need great service, or a wonderful, expensive ambience. Sometimes we just need a good, home cooked meal, but don't want to cook. These times, we seek out the Quick Eats. Today's Quick Eat features a small Thai/Western cze char style restaurant in Bukit Timah Road.

Tucked along a row of shophouses, right next to a bicycle shop, LeWu looks like a coffee shop, and one spies a sign saying "Thai Food" and a huge print of a bowl of green curry on the wall. Inside, and upstairs, there is air conditioned sitting for perhaps 25 pax. And along the five foot way, tables were set up. The few times we visited, the place upstairs was packed with school children from the nearby schools. And have always opted to sit outside.

We always tell ourselves that we should order the Phad Thai, but somehow always ended up with dishes and rice. We did order a portion of fried rice as takeaway for Edward, and when I sampled a mouthfull at home, it was nice, but not special.

We started with the papaya salad:

Quite home made. Reminds me of the cze char style stalls that are almost ubiquitious along Bangkok's streets. Nice and fresh. A good balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

And proceeded to one of my favourite Thai dishes (other than basil leaf with minced pork - phad phat kapow moo)...the green curry chicken:

We had just had lunch at Bangkok Jam, one of my favourite restaurants in town and had the same, so a comparison was in order. See here for an earlier dinner at Bangkok Jam when I sampled the green curry chicken.

In comparison, the Bangkok Jam version was richer...the coconut milk used was thicker. The chicken a bit more tender...perhaps they had used dark meat instead of the white meat used by LeWu. I would imagine this might be plate to plate variation, as quite possibly, both places use both dark and white meat. Overall, I am undecided which is better, or if one is indeed better than the other. They were different, but both were satisfying...especially with some prik nam pla.

Another staple in our family's Thai meals is the stir fried mixed vegetables with fish sauce.

Nicely done. Crisp brocolli, firm cabbage, nice crunchy french beans, which means the cook didn't overcook the vegetables. Sauce was typical fish sauce, and a nice topping of deep fried garlic adds flavour.

Finally, the stir fried pepper beef

They had used a lean cut of beef, but sliced steak-style thinly so it cooks fast and not dry out. I wouldn't say the beef is tender, but it certainly is very nice...slightly chewy. The capsicums added nice colour and a tinge of flavour to the dish. Enjoyed it.

For me, this little place is worthy of visits. Especially when its just around the corner from my home. The food is pretty decent, kind of like home cooked Thai. I think its Thai owned, as the lady behind the counter who looked like the owner was talking to the cook in Thai.

Can be busy during meal times as it tends to get swarmed with kids from nearby schools.

LeWu Cafe

551 Bukit Timah Road

Open daily 11:30am to 9:45pm