Diandin Leluk

Diandin Leluk
5001 Beach Road
#01-67 Golden Mile Complex

http://www.diandinleluk.com/


Decent, Affordable Thai Cuisine

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $15 per person.


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Located in Golden Mile Complex "Little Thailand", the Diandin Leluk Thai restaurant has a long history. Founded by a husband and wife team as a mobile food truck service, before getting their current permanent location in 1985, Diandin Leluk is known for their cheap / affordable, tasty and authentic Thai food, prepared in rustic home style. Little wonder this 24-hour daily, 7 days a week Thai restaurant has been drawing crowds for years, many of whom have become regulars! However, I seem to recall their food was tastier in the past... it feels to me like standards are slipping.

Ambience at Diandin Leluk is simple, functional, and clean, though it's also cramped and bustling. The brightly lit place has solid wooden furniture, with marble topped tables, packed closely together. The place is noisy, with lots of movement and activity, resembling a coffee shop. At least it's air-conditioned and clean. There is some Thai decor adorning the walls, from newspaper clippings to pictures of the Thai monarch. Most eye-catching is the huge photo of rice farmers in the paddy fields. The place is suitable both for a quick eat and go meal, as well as lingering meals with long conversations.

Service at Diandin Leluk is efficient. Staff are able to converse well in both English and Thai, seat guests quickly, and clear / empty dirty tables or plates fast. I like their proactiveness in this regard. However, it does take some time to attract their attention, while staff are observant, they're also usually busy and rushing around. Still, at least when they speak to diners, the conversation is calm, polite, and unhurried, the staff gives you full attention. I must commend this, for staff from other restaurants in such situations usually are quite brusque. Only payment is self-service, everything else is tableside service. Orders are also quicky fulfilled, and staff help to arrange the table while serving.

Food at Diandin Leluk is decent in taste, generous, and affordable. The owners still oversee the preparation and hand make several items as well, so you're getting authentic, rustic Thai food. Fresh herbs are imported from Thailand throughout the week, and ingredients used are sourced fresh daily. Taste of most dishes is average to above average, though I notice the amount of spicy heat has been toned down for local palates, thus, most dishes aren't spicy, or just mildly spicy. Portions are generous, and communal dining of at least 3 people is encouraged. Prices at Diandin Leluk are cheap and affordable, budget about SGD $15 per person for a full meal!


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Diandin Leluk Exterior

Diandin Leluk Interior

Diandin Leluk Shop

Meal

The Iced Milk Tea (SGD $1.80) is thick and a tad too sweet, rich in tea and milk flavour. The Iced Lemongrass (SGD $1.80) fared better, with its refreshing, floral aroma, though the melting ice will dilute it towards the end.

Iced Milk Tea

Iced Lemongrass

The Papaya Salad (SGD $6 / $10 / $12) has thin strips of julienne green papaya, tomatoes, lettuce, and peanuts in a light, sour, slightly spicy Thai chili sauce. Crunchy in texture, the taste is a bright burst of flavour, the sour sauce coating the palate, quickly leading into the pleasant fruity taste of the papaya and the juicy tomatoes. Pretty good dish!

Papaya Salad

The Clear Tom Yum Soup (SGD $12 / $22 / $32) is a clear, sour sweet soup / broth, that is far too tame in the level of spicy heat. At least it has a generous portion of fresh fish, squid, leeks, tomatoes, straw mushrooms, onions, and spring onions. Hearty and very drinkable, though I wish it was more spicy!

Clear Tom Yum Soup

Possibly the weakest dish we had here, the Green Curry Chicken (SGD $12 / $18 / $22) tasted overwhelmingly of coconut milk, drowning out the taste of the green curry spice. Not much chicken within as well, cut in thin strips. At least the pea aubergine were tender and tasty. Skip this.

Green Curry Chicken

The Sambal Kang Kong (SGD $10 / $15 / $20) was well executed, with fresh, crunchy kang kong / water spinach leaves, bright and clean in taste. Again, the sambal sauce wasn't as spicy as I prefer, but this is still a decent dish worth ordering!

Sambal Kang Kong

The Stir-Fried Minced Pork With Basil Leaves & Chili (SGD $10 / $15 / $20) is among the better, tastiest dishes here! The savoury salty minced pork, fragrant in aroma with the fried basil leaves, and a slight tinge of spicy heat, goes well over white rice! Good!

Stir-Fried Minced Pork With Basil Leaves & Chili

The Tom Yum Fried Rice With Seafood (SGD $6 / $12 / $22 / $32) has a nice ration of fresh squid, straw mushrooms, onions, and rice. The rice is fragrant with a slight spicy kick, savoury sour in taste, and a hint of smoky aroma from frying. Worth ordering!

Tom Yum Fried Rice With Seafood

The Mixed Thai Chendol (SGD $3) differs from the Singaporean, Indonesian, or Malaysian version due to the addition of sweet potato, and the use of ice cubes instead of shaved ice. Otherwise, it's a sweet, straight-forward dessert similar in all other respects, made with green strips of pandan / screwpine leaf jelly, coconut milk, water, and gula melaka / palm sugar. Decent dessert!

Mixed Thai Chendol

I felt the Red Ruby (SGD $3) here is among the better versions I've eaten. The exterior has that soft, sweet jelly texture, with the interior being a crunchy water chestnut that bursts with flavour. The coconut milk broth is nicely chilled, and the consistency is rather even throughout. Good!

Red Ruby

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