Sup Sip / Vis-a-Vis

For the benefit of those who might not know this: Sup Sip Thai Cuisine is part of Vis-a-Vis Fine French Dining. Both menus are offered to patrons on the restaurant's premises. One might find the location of this cosy lil nook rather obscure. The restaurant is a 2-storey shophouse unit sandwiched between small pubs. However do not be quick to judge, as Vis-a-Vis has been around for 15 years. In their present location, they've successfully built up a pool of regular patrons with their excellent cuisine and wonderful service over the years.

I brought the boyfriend here to celebrate an early birthday for him. We had the intention of having french for dinner, but was gently persuaded otherwise by our waiter for the night. His name was Francis and he gave us excellent service from the moment we stepped in, till we left. First of all he recommended a entirely fresh fruit blend of pink grapefruit, banana & zesty orange - priced at $6.50/gls It was a huge glass of juice though, so don't underestimate it. That drink was not only very refreshing, it was also the reason why our tummies didn't make it to dessert.

We ordered a 4-pc Thai crispy prawn tofu appetizer ($8), to start off our meal. It was served with a tangy-sweet Thai sauce that complemented the tofu very well. The dish may look rather ordinary here, but the beancurd skin was light & crispy. And most importantly, not oily. This 1 has my thumbs up.

Fans of my favourite meat rejoice! Sup Sip's Beef Jaek or beef steak was a pleasant surprise. I was half-expecting the meat to be slightly dry, because beef if overcooked with spices can end up with that result. In comparison to the beef dishes I've tried in Bangkok, this was a zesty combination of a number of spices. Each slice of beef was thinly-sliced and soaked in gravy. The gravy was slightly peppery and tasted a lil of lime. It all went very well with white rice.

This Red Snapper ($24) was so highly-recommended by Francis, that we could not resist ordering it. I must say that we were not disappointed. This fish was served crispy, immersed in a gravy that doubles up as a soup! No kidding. In fact, Francis told us that many patrons often order this dish to eliminate the need to order a soup to go with their meal. Rest assured that your fish & "soup" will remain hot & spicy all night long - it's kept warm by a flame below. Well not exactly a flame, because the heat emitted from it makes the centre of the dish boil slightly. Caution: Slurp-worthy Thai Tom-Yam/Zesty-Lime gravy is mildly spicy but served piping hot! I know, you must be thinking: Tom Yam? Now put that thought aside, because I used those words for a lack of a better substitute. It tasted nothing like tom yam! The taste was uniquely different from the typical thai food we're used to.

I'll end this entry with a few tips:

1. Visit Vis-a-Vis if you want to impress a date, cos you can order from their French AND Thai menus.

2. Book this place if you're planning a private function for close friends & family. They've got an upper floor to accomodate approx. 80 pax & a cosy, intimate dining experience to offer along with AWESOME service!

3. Grab a business lunch with a client at this place with their set lunch specials that change daily. Call them to find out more!

/all prices stated not incl. of +++
restaurant images are by Robert Steiner, taken from Streetdirectory.com

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste - 9/10
Price - $$$
Service - 10/10
Ambience - 9/10
Accessibility - 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts
[$$]-average Jane
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant

Tel: 6468 7433

Address:
12 Chun Tin Road Singapore 599599
(Opposite Beauty World)

Email: vins@pacific.net.sg
Website: Vis-a-Vis

Opening hours:
9am to 10.30pm daily

Dress code: smart casual
Buses: 985, 985W, 61, 157, 184...