Sticky Fingers,
Lot C4.06.01, Level 4, Pavilion,
168, Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2143 1141
IF YOU find yourself in downtown Kuala Lumpur craving for Thai cuisine, it won’t be long before you’re able to satisfy your want for a bit of Tom Yam Kung or sticky mango rice.
One of the places you can go to quell these Thai cravings is Sticky Fingers at the Pavillion.
The bistro is nicely decorated in Thai fashion and is divided into sections. The al fresco section is a nice place for a chat with friends or a spot to observe the uniquely mesmerising hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur.
There’s also a bar but if you prefer a little bit of peace and quiet, head on over to the back of the bistro where there are also two private rooms for a small get-together.
The bistro is so called because of the traditional Asian way of eating- with one’s hands. Some say food just tastes better that way although I prefer to use cutlery.
The Thai cooks at this restaurant prepare your favourite Thai dishes with a slight twist and I do mean slight.
If you’re like me and don’t appreciate it if chefs mess with a cuisine too much that it loses its authenticity, then you won’t be too disappointed with Sticky Fingers.
Yes, it does mix things up a bit but not to the point that you mistake your Tom Yam Kung for a spicy prawn consommé by another name.
There are certain items on the menu that it doesn’t change at all simply like the popular Thai appetizer, Mieng Kam.
The Mieng Kam at Sticky Fingers comes with seven ingredients and a nice sweet plum sauce.
TASTY: The flavourful Sam Rod sauce intensifies the already delicious fried garoupa.Simply take a pre-rolled daun kadok or betel leaf and put in a bit of the seven ingredients- roasted coconut, dried shrimp, lime, bird’s eye chili, ginger and onion- and top all of that off with a dollop of sweet plum sauce. Fold the end and pop it into your mouth and enjoy the cacophony of flavours bursting inside.
After that, you’re ready to enjoy some of the signature dishes at Sticky Fingers.
In my opinion, a Thai meal is not complete without a bowl of Tom Yam. We were served the Gung Mae Num Tom Yam or King Prawn Tom Yam soup which was a consommé with a mix of seafood, mushrooms and of course, the king prawn that was so big, it peeped out of the clay bowl that it came in.
Customers can decide on how spicy they would like their Tom Yam to be. As we were only aware of this fact after the dish was served, we were a bit disappointed to find that our serving was a bit on the mild side but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
Next was a dish of Chicken Chop prepared Thai-style. Not many know that the Chicken Chop was an invention Chinese servants concocted for their European masters. They probably fancied a meat chop that was not available in the far east back then.
Conventionally, the dish would be accompanied with some mashed potatoes or rice and maybe a small salad but because we’re having it the Thai way, it was served with some tangy mango salad and the chicken chop rested on a bed of garlic rice.
It also came with Sam Rod sauce or better known locally as the tiga rasa because it is sweet, sour and spicy.
The same sauce was also used in preparing the Pla Kao Sam Rod or fried groupa in Sam Rod sauce. Garoupa is, in my opinion, one of the tastier fishes out there and its sweet fried flesh is intensified further by the Sam Rod sauce.
And for the perfect ending, we had a popular Thai cold dessert, Tab Tim Krob Mao Pao or the red ruby dessert.
As Sticky Fingers insists on putting its own twist to its menu, the dessert came in a coconut shell with the pieces of chestnuts coated in red jelly. There were also slices of jackfruit and beads of sago in coconut milk. A gem of a dessert, this was.
The restaurant and bar also has an impressive selection of beverages. As it was too early for a drink, we decided to try some of the mocktails instead.
TREASURED: Tab Tim Krob Mao Pao or Red Ruby dessert was a sweet ending to a perfect meal.The Bangkok Temple is Sticky Finger’s own version of the popular Shirley Temple.
The story goes that a bartender invented this drink for the renowned child actress because she was then too young to have an alcoholic beverage when she attended a party with film industry greats of the time. It is a refreshing mix of grenadine and lime soda which can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
Another great drink is the Chiang Mae passion which is iced lemon tea with mango purée. The sweet and tangy flavour of the mango goes so well with the tartness of the lemonade that we recommend this drink if you plan to visit Sticky Fingers.
This bistro, perhaps, has one of the longest happy hours in the country which starts from 11am right up to 9pm.
Thai bistro Sticky Fingers at the Pavillion.So if you’re up for some great Thai food after a long day of shopping and sight-seeing, head over to Sticky Fingers.
