Absolute Tribal...serving your senses

Sawadeeka...from Kuching!  Come, let's join me in getting our taste buds tingled all over.  I bring to you, the Absolute Tribal at The Hills Shopping Mall, Kuching which serves a good selection of mouth-watering Thai dishes.

On one occasion, my family and I headed here for dinner, just to try something different from our usual everyday fare.  Why here?  Yours truly is a food hunter, that's why!  And this restaurant does not disappoint me at all.  *glad*

Let's dig in...

Browsing the menu and deciding what to order was an ordeal.  Everything seemed just so scrumptious and attractive, and we could not decide.  But decide, we had to, nevertheless. 

Tom Yam Seafood (Tom Yam Thalay)

Thick, sour, spicy and flavorful.  This is indeed a Thai masterpiece.  Loaded with mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, ooh la la...the broth is to die for.  The prawns, fish and squids, infused with the secret Thai herbs, were essentially fresh, making this dish a must-have.

Shredded Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Shredded Papaya Salad...I'm loving it.  Looks rather labour-intensive to prepare for almost everything thrown into this dish is either cut or shredded rather finely.  You'll find a generous amount of of pound groundnuts mixing harmoniously with the shredded papaya, long beans, and chillies.  Doused with just the right amount of sweet, sour and spicy dressings, this dish makes you want to go back for more.  A good appetizer to kick start your meal.

Spicy Mango Salad (Yam Ma-Muang)

Another type of salad that we ordered - spicy mango salad, a dish which left me quite speechless. Another must-order dish.  Mark my word.  It will surely blow you away with its tastebud awakening flavours.  The combination of ingredients are simply out of this world.  Once, we asked for extra spicy.  Oh my...Biting into the crunchy texture of the shredded mango combined with crispy spicy cuttlefish, fresh red shallots and cili padi almost knocked me out of my seat.  But that hasn't deterred me from going back for more.  And I can easily finish a plate all by myself.  Such is the power of this dish.

Deep Fried Kai Lan (Kha-Na Tod)

Kai Lan deep fried to crispy perfection...How about that?  Initially, I thought this dish would just be a very normal dish, your usual homecooked fare.  But it turned out to be a rather impressive dish, garnished with meat floss, lending sweetness to the kai lan which sometimes leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Pandan Chicken

Unwrapping the pandan leaf reveals a very tender and juicy piece of chicken, very well marinated with a concoction of seasonings and spices.  The pandan leaf, keeps the juices of the chicken inside, hence lending a sweet aroma to the chicken which will definitely whet one's appetite.  This dish comes with a honey dipping sauce.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Khao Phat Sapparot)

Aroi!  This dish offers a unique taste and texture in one dish.  It can be a complete dish in itself. Chunks of pineapple and chicken, coupled with deliciously fresh prawns create a special flavour that is bound to make your dining experience a worthy one.  Hmm...it would be better though if the pineapple fried rice was served in a hollowed out halved pineapple. :P

Chicken Feet Kerabu

I heard eating chicken feet is an acquired taste.  To me, it is a delicacy in its own right.  Chicken feet is one of my favourite food, so it was no surprise that I ordered Chicken feet kerabu on my maiden visit to this restaurant.  It is one healthy dish and is usually eaten cold.  The chicken feet is deboned and marinated with lime juice, chillies, shallots, big onions and some sugar.  Come and try it.  Don't get cold feet when you hear cold chicken feet.  It's...AROI!  :)

The restaurant setup

My family and I enjoyed eating at this cosy restaurant.  Since our maiden visit, we have made numerous visits back there.  If you would like to challenge your tastebuds with unbelievable herbs and spices, but have no one to undertake this challenge with you, hey, I'm game for it.  Anytime.  :)