As I’m sure it is with many other workplaces, “what to eat” is a question we ask everyday in our office. One of my colleagues said he knew this place for awesome Thai food – although he did caution that it would be ‘a little hot’. We were game.

That’s how we ended up at Frame Thai @ Happy Mansion in Section 17, PJ. For those not familiar with the area, Happy Mansion is made up of a few old flats, with the ground floor revitalised to house chic cafes and eateries. Frame Thai occupies a small corner at the back, and can be easy to miss because of its tiny shopfront. It also looks nothing like a restaurant from the outside.

Gas cylinders, trash bags and cartons, some Thai groceries, dimly lit interior. If the colleague hadn’t pointed it out I would have walked right past, thinking it was a grocery store. Don’t be fooled though – this is probably one of the most authentic Thai outlets I’ve been to in PJ/KL.

You know sht is real when they have durians

The inside was extremely stuffy, and I felt sweat trickling down my back. The few fans (it was not air conditioned) provided little ventilation, and heat/smoke from cooking filled the air. Definitely not a place you can ‘hang out and chill’. The upside was that there were lots of Thais dining, and you know what they say about restaurants – if you want authentic food, always look to see if there are locals dining there.

Part of the menu. You can opt to order single dishes with rice/noodles, or sharing dishes for larger groups.

A backroom with groceries (sauces, snacks, canned goods) imported from Thailand.

One does not simply go to a Thai restaurant and not have Thai Milk Tea. The version here was not overly sweet, with a nice fragrance from the orange blossom water (which also gives it its signature orange tinge).

The colleagues both went for the Spicy Basil Chicken Rice, which came served with a fried egg. Tried a bit and by god it was spicy. But as CH puts it, “It hurts so good.” Flavour was excellent, though. For those who like their spices to pack a punch, this will hit the spot.

I went for the grilled pork skewers (three pieces – RM10) and spicy sausage. Both were really tasty and great with rice. The sausage had a strong flavour of lemongrass and sported a chewy casing that contrasted nicely with the mushiness of the mashed meat on the inside. Pork skewers were grilled and basted to sweet perfection, smoky, tender and juicy. Meat lovers will really enjoy this – I certainly did.

Last but not least, we cooled down with a creamy coconut ice cream, garnished with crunchy peanuts. Again, not too sweet but just right, creamy without being cloying.

Frame Thai is a great lunch/dinner spot that is the epitome of good Thai food – not fancy, no frills, and even though the experience dining in was slightly uncomfortable due to the cramped space and stuffy interior, the food was rewarding. The fact that the staff + diners are all Thai means that you’re getting some of the most authentic Thai food this side of PJ/KL. Would love to return to try some of their other dishes.

• Service: 4/5 (fast and fairly efficient)
• Food: 4.5/5
• Ambience: 2/5 – hot, stuffy but kinda rustic, like you’re dining in an actual street side stall somewhere in Thailand
• Price: reasonable, around RM10+ for single meals.

FRAME THAI 

AG-3, Ground Floor,Block A, Happy Mansion, Jaya,, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Opening hours: Daily (10AM-8PM, closed Wednesdays)

Phone: +60 3-7954 4688