Identity crisis

An eatery in Worli gets top marks for its Japanese dishes, which fare better than the Thai ones

Identity crisis

Prawn tempura roll. Pics/Karishma Keunzang

Food: Flavourful
Ambience: Quiet
Service: Prompt
Cost: Expensive
Verdict: 1/4

We have always been a sucker for good sushi — fresh, creamy, light, and with a dollop of nose-watering wasabi and gari (pickled ginger) along with tangy, not-too-salty soy sauce making for the perfect umami bite that tingles your taste buds. But we aren't quite expecting that when we order the sushi at a Worli eatery, which is meant more for its Thai cuisine if its name — Happy Thai — is anything to go by. Not that we are complaining.

Green curry

We are also grateful for the quiet ambience that the mall-based eatery provides when we walk in one Tuesday night, despite the fact that there's a table with over 10 diners celebrating a birthday. The spacious venue, green interiors and not-too-loud retro pop and rock music make it ideal for a chatty dinner, punctuated with bites of sushi — we try the California roll (four for '470) and prawn tempura roll (eight for '825). We skip the vast cocktail menu and try to order a yuzu lemonade instead, but only a lemon-grass variant on the menu comes close. Our server swoops in to tell us it can be made as there's a yuzu cocktail on the menu. The lemonade ('150) is served within minutes; however, one sip and we are a bit disappointed. It's not refreshing enough and lacks the jolting tanginess. But the prawn tempura and California rolls lift our mood instantly. The wasabi is just as jarring as it should be, the prawn bits and avocado blend in beautifully, while the California roll looks Instagram-worthy and gets the right amount of crunch without turning into too big a bite.

Chicken mushroom pot rice

For the mains, we stick to what we had ordered during our first visit — green curry prawn ('719) that comes with jasmine rice, and chicken mushroom pot rice ('599). The curry comes first. Mildly-spiced, it's comforting and not as overwhelming as we had expected it to be. The five big pieces of prawns are succulent and juicy, while also retaining the flavour of the curry. The jasmine rice, too, works well, especially as it's not as sticky as we would have thought.

The pot rice, though, is a disappointment. It's got more flavour from the lettuce than the mushrooms, and is a tad creamier than usual. Too full to order dessert, we end the meal, promising to stick to sushi the next time we drop by.

California roll

Yuzu lemonade

At Happy Thai, ground floor, Atria Mall, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli.
Time 11.30 am to 11 pm
Call 67363604

The Guide first reviewed Happy Thai in June 2019. We conduct select, anonymous follow-ups to assess maintenance of standards

1/4 Exceptional, 3/4 Excellent, 2/4 very Good, 1/4 Good, 0.5/4 Average. Happy Thai didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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