Song by Kin Kao

Here we go with another return visit to Song!  This is particularly significant because we ate here shortly after they reopened.  They were victims of a fire and were able to get up and running in just a month.  You will now notice that "Kin Kao" is prominently displayed above their doorway (paying homage to their original restaurant on Commercial Drive).  We had actually dined at Song earlier in the year, but I didn't blog about.  This time around, we had some pretty awesome new dishes and I really wanted to share!

I don't believe we've ever dined at Song and "not" have the Laab Wings.  These flats were split down the middle and hence were evenly deep fried.  The crispiness of the rendered skin was perfect while the meat was still moist and tender.  I really think everyone should prepare their wings like this!  Furthermore, the laab seasoning was more effective this way as more surface area was coated Hence, we got tangy, sweet, salty and spicy.  So addictive!

Probably the grandest-looking dish was the Papaya Salad with Soft-Shell Crab.  The salad itself was bright, fresh and texturally on-point.  With each bite, the crunch from the green papaya and carrots was pleasing.  Temperature was just right too.  There was a nice balance of sweetness, tanginess and spice which really tickled our tastebuds.  The soft shell crab was not merely for decoration as it added a light crunch and creamy briny-sweetness.

Another solid dish was the Thai Chili Tofu.  Sure, it didn't look like much, but I assure you, it was a textural and taste delight.  The core of the dish was the perfectly fried slices of tofu.  With the right firmness, the tofu was still soft and silky while holding up to the aggressive deep-fry.  It was crispy and robust which held up to the delicious garlicky and spicy sauce.  Some fried basil and bell peppers added aroma and sweetness as well.

One of the most simplest dishes we ordered was the Daily Vegetable Stirfry, which happened to be the Tong Choy or Stir Fried Water Spinach.  Unlike the Chinese version, this was not prepared with fermented tofu. Rather, we got some brininess from the addition of fish sauce as well as some small dried shrimp.  There was considerable wok hei which meant there was smokiness and intense caramelization.  We got some spice from the chili peppers too.  The water spinach still had crunchy stalks with tender leaves.

Another new dish that we've not had before was the Green Curry with Beef Shank.  Sure, we've had a green curry at Song in the past, but with the tender melt-in-our-mouths beef shank, it was a totally different experience.  There was much more body and robustness provided by the beef rather than chicken or fish.  For the curry itself, it was delicious as usual.  Lightly creamy and definitely briny, it had good spice.  To completely enjoy all of the sauce, multiple bowls of white rice would be ideal.

Of course we got the Pad Thai like we always do.  Moreover, we got it vegetarian-style as per usual.  Predictably, it was delicious as the balance between tamarind tanginess and palm sugar sweetness was on point.  Factor in the brininess saltiness of fish sauce and you have truly a wealth of flavours.  We couldn't forget about the wok hei either and the smokiness added depth.  Noodles were al dente and the dried baby shrimp on the top just added that something something to the dish.

Unexpectedly, the Kra Pao Beef arrived in big chunks of tender brisket rather than the ground up version.  Oh that was a nice surprise as the pieces of beef were so tender and had bits of tendon on them.  Texturally, they were an absolute delight.  Since they wok-fried the beef (that was already braised), it exhibited intense sweetness, smokiness and some spiciness.  The gai lan were vibrant and crunchy.

We had a really refreshing dessert in the Lod Chong Coconut Granita.  This was so light and refreshing with the sweetness of the corn being at the forefront.  But that gave way to the aromatic sweetness of coconut that worked well with the nutty and earthy sweet taro.  Really, the natural sweetness of the ingredients made this dish.  Overall, this was another delicious meal at Song.  I've never had a bad one here and it is no wonder they hold onto their Michelin Bib Gourmand year-after-year.

The Good:
- Impactful flavours
- Excellent wok hei
- Thoughtful execution

The Bad:
- It ain't cheap (I think they should be Michelin-Star rather than Bib Gourmand)
- Not the easiest place to find parking