Little Elephant SG Thai Bistro

Little Elephant SG Thai Bistro is a casual Thai restaurant on the ground floor of an Art Deco block on Eng Hoon Street, in the Tiong Bahru estate. It serves familiar Thai dishes, from green papaya salad and tom yum soup to pad thai and green curry.

The bistro opened in 2018, with a menu planned around shared plates. Most dishes are meant to be passed around the table, so it suits families and groups of friends. A single diner can still order a rice or noodle dish.

What to order

The menu covers salads, soups, curries, stir-fries, rice and noodles, plus a few desserts. These dishes come up again and again in reviews:

• Som tum: green papaya salad with pounded chilli and lime. It is tangy, sweet and spicy at once.
• Tom yum kung: hot and sour prawn soup. You can have it clear or creamy.
• Pad thai: stir-fried rice noodles with prawns or chicken.
• Green curry: with chicken or pork, and good with plain rice.
• Grilled pork neck: grilled and sliced, good for sharing.
• Basil minced pork: a classic stir-fry with holy basil, served with rice.
• Steamed sea bass in lime and garlic sauce: a fish dish to share.
• Mango sticky rice: the usual way to finish.

For two people, a salad, a soup, one curry or stir-fry and rice is plenty. Add a fish if you are a bigger group.

The setting

The restaurant sits in one of the low pre-war blocks that give Tiong Bahru its look. Early reviews described a rustic Thai eating-house style, with colourful tiles and carved wooden furniture. There is seating both indoors and outside, and the mood is easy-going rather than formal.

Good to know before you go

• You can book a table online through Chope, which helps at weekends.
• The restaurant also offers takeaway and delivery through its website.
• Several dishes are spicy. Tell the staff how much heat you want when you order.
• Many dishes contain pork, prawns or fish sauce, so mention any dietary needs.
• There is a short vegetarian section, plus a few dishes made with plant-based minced pork.

Getting there

The address is #01-72, 57 Eng Hoon Street. Havelock station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is about a six-minute walk away.

Nearby

Make a half day of it by walking the streets of Tiong Bahru Estate, using our Tiong Bahru heritage walk as a route. Our Tiong Bahru neighbourhood guides have more ideas for the area. For a cheap lunch nearby, try the burgers at Skirt & Dirt in Tiong Bahru Market. You can compare other options under Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants, or browse all restaurants in Tiong Bahru and Alexandra.