Yes, Kha!

Singaporeans love to eat. So they say, they themselves, even. And this country is such a mix of people, you can find different fare on every corner.

This evening we opted for Thai at Kha in Hort Park. Talk about a gorgeous location, the restaurant offers outdoor seating on a reflection pool or a back patio, as well as cooler seats indoors. We arrived just as the sun set. Striking.

It's hard to surmise when abroad what exactly defines fine food and service. In Singapore, it seems as though locals assess three things when dining. One: quality (and of course freshness). Two: service. The third factor, however, seems to vary with respect to the first two, as though there were a sliding scale of some sort. Three: cost. So if there's excellent food, no service but cheap prices, a place may still get a great review. On the other hand, if quality is mediocre, but service is great and the prices are cheap, the place may still have a queue. If, however, the prices are high and either of the other two factors are less than stellar, the restaurant will get crucified in reviews and word-of-mouth. What's also interesting is that the service here is usually lacking. You have to flag people down, at times having had a hand raised throughout the meal.

So, Kha. I looked up its translation, and I believe it means yes when spoken by a woman. In that case, kha! I loved it. One waiter had teeth jutting from his mouth like Stonehenge, charming. Another, who is Thai, made recommendations that were lovely. We started with a sampler of salmon, chicken and crab cake, as well as a pomelo salad. As the main courses arrive, the staff walks around with rice buckets, white or red, as much as you'd like. I had a spicy beef stir-fry. It made me sweat but wasn't too grave a challenge. I also drank Duvel with dinner, a welcome respite from the knee-jerk of Tiger beer. All in all, Kha has been one of the best places I've eaten since here.

Another funny observation, people take their kids to dinner at all hours. In New York, 5 pm meals are for bartenders who've just gotten up and parents of small children, affectionately known as romper room (in either case). Kids here, however, run amuck all hours of the night!