Cha Am #2 - 2006.06.11 -- *

It was with joy I returned to Cha Am, taking my cousin and steph with me. I still remember my last visit with Xun, Sinyee, and Johnny, how much we enjoyed the festive dishes bursting with the splendors of a tropical summer. But despite that, I am sure that experience did not unduly elevate my expectations upon this visit, which turned out to be one of the worst thai food outings, ever.

From the rubbery tasteless Tod Mun's, to a one-dimensional Tom Yum veiled by a veneer of thin spicing, to the central failure of our roasted duck that managed to make a chinese bbq duck from the lowest grade supermart look gourmet in comparison; the whole meal was letdown after letdown. I tried to keep up a good spirit, holding back criticisms for my companions' sake at least, but the 2-prawned green curry threatened to wash all my efforts away with its very wateriness. The Cha Am sticky rice with mango, once our favorite incarnation of that classic thai dessert, was no where near good enough to turn the tide. It almost pains me to say how far one of my very delightful memories has fallen to disgrace. Was it a change of owner? The departure of the old chef? Or perhaps, maybe, it was just a fluke, or we ordered all the worst dishes, or ... I want to give it the full benefit of my doubt, but there's no doubt that this experience shall be as unforgettable as the last.

$56 for 3, all incl.