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Visiting two very different suburban Thai eateries that started operating without fanfare this year, beginning with Dok Bua, a sedately casual and stubbornly frills-free destination in Ara Damansara.

1. Dok Bua

Pork Pleasure

Pork’s our pleasure here, clocking in at reasonable prices: A serving of ‘moo pa lo’ (meat & egg stewed with five spices) that two can share costs RM10.DokBua ThaiGrill_2

Kinda like a Thai cross between tau yew bak and bak kut teh. Could be more richly aromatic, but it’s fine for what it is. Enjoy with steamed white rice.DokBua ThaiGrill_3

Also worthwhile at Dok Bua, which seems to be run mainly by Thai men: Roasted glass noodles, hearty with a choice of either pork or shrimp (RM10) …DokBua ThaiGrill_4

… plus a nicely mild Panang pork curry (RM12) that could nevertheless be creamier with more coconut milk, but now we’re simply nitpicking.

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Beer

Chang beer is the best that liquor lovers can hope to do at Dok Bua.DokBua ThaiGrill_6

Location Details:

Dok Bua Thai Cafe,
115-G, Jalan PJU 1A/41B, Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya. On a shop-house street near NZX.

Find Dok Bua Thai Cafe’s directory listing here.

2. Thai Grill

Next up, Thai Grill, a more upmarket stop, nestled in what seems to be the basement of the Tropicana Golf and Country Resort’s clubhouse.DokBua ThaiGrill_7

Light Bites

Start with chicken feet salad, filled with gelatinous goodness (bone-free, mercifully), tossed with tomatoes, onions, chili and lime juice.

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Crispy-fried skewered turkey (!), a satisfactory treat with thick Thai chili sauce.DokBua ThaiGrill_9

Seafood

Steamed mussels, always a pleasure if they’re as fresh as the ones available here.DokBua ThaiGrill_10

“Hor mok,” the seafood custard-souffle that we can never resist ordering.DokBua ThaiGrill_11

Salt-cooked freshwater fish, a little bit muddy-tasting but reliably fleshy.DokBua ThaiGrill_12

Wine

Thai Grill serves no pork but makes up for that with wine.DokBua ThaiGrill_13DokBua ThaiGrill_14

 

Location Details:

Thai Grill
Palms Wing, Tropicana Golf and Country Resort Clubhouse.
Both outlets are supposed to open daily for lunch and dinner.