Super Thai by Soi Aroy (Upper Aljunied)

Super Thai by Soi Aroy at Upper Aljunied is a casual Thai restaurant on a street corner in the MacPherson Garden Estate. Families and groups fill it in the daytime, and in the evening it becomes more of a laid-back bistro, with Thai cocktails and beer on the drinks list.

The brand grew out of Soi Aroy, a Thai restaurant that owner Elvin started in 2017. He and head chef Teesood opened the first Super Thai in mid-2020. There are now three outlets, and this page covers the one at 379 Upper Aljunied Road.

What to order

The menu mixes classic Thai cooking with some modern touches. A good share of the ingredients come from Thailand. Dishes the restaurant picks out at this outlet include:

• Basil minced pork with century egg: pork fried with Thai basil and garlic, which the restaurant says is its most popular rice dish.
• Steamed sea bass with lime and chilli: whole fish steamed and served in a tangy lime and chilli sauce.
• Signature crispy papaya salad: shredded papaya fried until crisp and dressed like som tum, with soft shell crab as an option.
• Crispy omelette with crab meat: a deep-fried Thai omelette topped with crab.
• Tom saap: a very spicy, sour soup in the tom yum family, best for chilli lovers.
• Red ruby: the well-known Thai sweet of coloured water chestnut cubes served in coconut milk.

For a group, the Soi Aroy signature mixed platter of grilled meats is easy to share. So are the claypot glass noodles with prawns. Spicy lala, which are clams cooked with chilli, and drunken noodles with seafood are other house favourites. Set lunches and value set meals are also on offer.

Choose your spice level

Every dish is cooked to the heat you ask for, which helps if you are new to Thai food. There are four levels:

• Zero: no chilli at all.
• Local: mild.
• Thai: about as hot as Bangkok street food.
• Super Thai: the hottest level.

If you are not used to chilli, Local is a sensible place to start.

The setting

The restaurant fills a corner shop unit, and glass on two sides lets in plenty of light. Lunch and early dinner are lively, with many family tables. Later in the evening the crowd shifts towards friends sharing plates over a cocktail or a beer.

Good to know before you go

• Bookings: walk-ins are welcome. The restaurant suggests booking for groups and busy weekend evenings, online or by WhatsApp.
• Large groups: parties of ten or more pay a deposit when they book, which comes off the final bill.
• Takeaway and delivery: you can order online for self-collection or delivery.
• Parking: the restaurant recommends the HDB multi-storey car park at Block 2A, about three minutes away on foot. MacPherson Mall also has paid parking.

Getting there

The restaurant lists three MRT stations as its nearest: Mattar on the Downtown Line, Woodleigh on the North East Line and Aljunied on the East West Line.

Nearby

For seafood in the same part of town, Crab At Bay is on MacPherson Road. Hawker food fans can head to Old Airport Road Food Centre, a well-known hawker centre in the wider area. For more ideas, see our Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants, or browse the Geylang and Paya Lebar restaurant guide.