My friend and I were deciding where to have lunch when we took notice of Folks Collective at China Square.  What attracted us first was the edgy interior design.  It looks like an old English bar on one side and a quaint restaurant on the other. But the bait was the $9.90 set lunch.

We were seated at about 12noon. Within 15 minutes, the crowd started coming in and in no time, the place was packed. Both of us ordered the set lunch. I had the Crispy Pork Belly with Baby Kai Lan, Tom Kha Chicken Soup and Jasmine Steamed Rice set. It is commendable that the chef actually included vegetarian option for two of the four set lunches.

The set lunch is served in a 3-layered red and white tiffin containers. The bottom layer is the jasmine white rice, the middle is the vegetables and the top layer is the soup.  What really scores at this restaurant is the innovative design and concept.  I can understand why so many people are captivated by the restaurant. As for food, it has flavour but far from great. My friend had the green curry with chicken. It is runny instead of the usual creamy version that you get from most Thai restaurants.

To me, Folks Collective serves ordinary Thai food with a smart marketing twist. It’s glamourised Thai food. The set lunch is not expensive but I don’t find it good value. There is nothing spectacular about the dishes. In fact, the food (set lunch) can be cooked in huge portions and served in the tiffin containers.

And also, drinking water is charged at $0.50 per person.  They serve water in an aluminium container so small (those that Thai used for prayer offerings) that you have to keep getting the waitress to refill it.

Will I revisit the restaurant again? Maybe. That’s only if I need an air conditioned place and I’ve ran out of ideas where to eat in the CBD.

FOLKS COLLECTIVE
20 Cross Street
01-25 China Square Central
Singapore 048422