The Place
Image by Tristin Zhang/That's
Located in a not-so-popular mall near Tianhe Sports Center, Xingyuecheng is a new eatery that boasts a spacious interior and caters to in-the-know eaters looking for a bite of Southeast Asia’s notoriously spicy and sour cuisine.
Operated by veteran F&B company Guangzhou Restaurant Group, this new arrival on the city’s food scene dishes out a decent selection of celebrated foodstuffs from Thailand, Vietnam and beyond. But, do Xingyuecheng’s renditions live up to the hype?
The Food
Image by Tristin Zhang/That's
Xingyuecheng’s menu has most of the usual suspects: Thailand’s tom yum soup, Singapore’s bak kut teh and Vietnam’s beef pho and charcoal-roasted pork neck, among others. But the fried crab with curry and French bread (RMB189) is the one dish here that’s worth writing home about. The crab is chopped into pieces, battered, fried and then drenched in a yellow curry sauce that defines the presentation and taste of the dish.
Indulging in the crab without a pair of plastic gloves, though, will result in the inevitable spread of yellow curry to your hands and around your mouth. We recommend forgoing the gloves and getting messy, for the environment’s sake.
Image by Tristin Zhang/That's
The Thai pickled shrimp (RMB69) serves as a mighty appetizer. Topped with ground chili peppers and a piece of sliced ginger, the raw Asian tiger prawns come steeped in a super sour marinade that hits the palate with a zesty smack. Ordering this starter dish is a surefire way to spice up your meal.
Image by Tristin Zhang/That's
For mains, try the Thai fried noodles with seafood (RMB36). Originally from Guangdong’s Chaoshan region, over time this dish has become more closely associated with Bangkok, where it’s a popular street food, than South China. This hearty helping of noodles is sure to sate your appetite, as it has done for the many visitors to the Thai kingdom, including the beloved travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain.
The Vibe
The dining experience here is elevated by the restaurant’s fine and quasi-vintage interior decor, which includes marble tables and chestnut-brown wooden chairs with emerald-colored leather cushions. The nostalgic element is completed by the dining area’s flower-pattern tiles, which help to transport you to an earlier time in an exotic land.
Price: RMB60-150
Who’s going: homesick Thai expats, mall visitors
Good for: spicy seafood, 'crabtastic' curries
Nearest metro: Tianhe Sports Center (Exit B), 5 minutes’ walk
Open daily, 11am-2.30pm, 5-10pm; see listing for Xingyuecheng.
[Cover image by Tristin Zhang/That's]
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