Thai Dining at Mae Salong

Discovering Authentic Thai Cuisine

Mae Salong is a quaint little restaurant located at the southern part of Sungai Petani. I love the kampung ambience where almost everything is made of dark wood. Guests have to walk across a large earthern fish pond using a sturdy wooden bridge in order to reach the restaurant. The huge water wheel in the middle of the pond must be the most photographed part of Mae Salong as nearly everyone present wants a selfie or wefie with it in the background.

Diners can choose to have their meals in the air conditioned two storey main building or in the small huts beside the pond. Already impressed with the scenery upon my arrival, I decide to enjoy my meal on the second floor so that I can still take in the breathtaking view while waiting for my food to arrive.

I choose a quiet corner and almost immediately a waiter comes by to take my order. I decide not to look at the menu and instead ask him to suggest several dishes that are popular with the returning guests. His face brightens up as he rattles on a long list dishes. I am impressed and quickly decide on the top four on the list.

Mae Salong operates on a small group of well trained chefs and support staff. There are no loud shouting of orders and no rushing regardless of how packed the restaurant is. This family run enterprise which started in 2009 sits on a two acre plot of land surrounded by rustic kampung houses, lush paddy fields and acres of coconut plantations.

I am glad that the deboned chicken feet salad is the first to arrive as I like to enjoy it both as an appetizer and then have it with rice when the other three dishes reach my table. Going by the local name of 'kerabu kaki ayam', this light appetizer requires a lot of preparation. The chicken feet have to be washed and then boiled to a certain degree of tenderness before the bones are carefully removed by hand. I once read that this dish is gaining in popularity as many believe that it is rich in collagen which helps to strenghten joints and reduce arthritis related ailments. Furthermore, the salad served here at Mae Salong is especially fragrant due to the generous use of lemon juice and freshly cut kaffir lime leaves.

Then, the sambal petai dish arrives less than five minutes later. By this time I am ready to tuck into a hearty meal. The medium sized petai beans indicate that Mae Salong uses the local variant. Personally, I prefer the crunchy and sweet local petai than its larger and slightly bitter Thai counterpart. The prawns are succulent and are sourced daily from the nearby Sungai Petani markets. This dish is not too spicy and is suitable even for the kids. The only setback is that it is a little bit too oily for my liking.

The chili crabs go very well with the piping hot rice. I love crabs and do not mind using my bare hands when it comes to this tasty crustacean. I am fortunate in the sense that the chef has used mostly female crabs in the preparation of my dish. Crab roe is delicious and I am happy to see lots of the reddish crab eggs in the sauce. This is dish to be enjoyed slowly as it takes time to reach the tantalizingly sweet flesh hidden in the deep recesses of the shell.

The final dish to arrive is the steamed clams. The bivalves are quite large in size and they are all are open. This is a good as it is a sign of their freshness. Through the years I have learned to avoid unopened shellfish as they will not agree with my stomach. The generous sprinkling of chopped garlic, coriander and chilli adds to the presentation. I am glad that the chef has placed a small charcoal stove steadily burning beneath this dish. I am assured that my clams will be kept warm throughout my meal.

I have a peculiar habit of enjoying clams. I hold one in between my fingers and use it as a ladle to scoop up the sauce. This way I get to sip the sauce and also enjoy a succulent morsel at the same time. The sauce is very good and the clams are the first to disappear even though it is the last to arrive.

SIDEBAR
Name of eatery:    Mae Salong Restaurant
Address:    199-F Kampung Bakar Bata, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah Darul Aman
Tel: +60 16-424 6842


OPENING HOURS
Daily 11 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm

GETTING THERE
Exit the North South Expressway at the Sungai Petani Selatan and head towards Sungai Petani town. Turn left at the first traffic light (located directly opposite Sharp Roxy factory). Drive slowly and follow the signs placed by the restaurant operator.  

WHAT'S COOKING
Authentic Thai cuisine. The menu is extensive but the chef may accommodate requests for dishes not listed.

MUST TRY
Tom yam prawns, steamed clams and deboned chicken feet salad are a must. The organic sweet potato shoots are crunchy and fresh.

YOU'LL PAY
Rates are inclusive of GST. There is ample free parking space in front and at the side of the restaurant.

ATMOSPHERE
Has the real kampung feel

FACILITIES
Disabled-friendly

THE LOO
Acceptable

SERVICE
Friendly and courteous

OVERALL VERDICT
Must try




NOTE; The last two images feature this published work in the New Straits Times under the Life & Times section Page 14 date Wednesday 31 August 2016