Empire Damansara

Lobbee, Thai Connection, Empire Damansara, PJ

ย Ellen Smillie, Alasdair Hamilton,ย Monica Tindall (The Yum List)
The Lee brothers at Lobbee Thai Connection are bringing a bit of Bangkok to Malaysia by specializing in hot tom yum soups, sure to please local tastes with their abundance of fresh seafood and adjustable level of spice. After visiting Bangkok numerous times, the brothers became hooked on the lobster tom yum food trend and knew this was a dish worth bringing to KL.
Opening its doors just a few weeks ago their menu is packed with mouth watering Thai dishes all prepared by their Thai Chef Bee. Who, by the way, is part of the inspiration for the name – Lob for Lobster and Bee for the chef.
The decor of the restaurant is an industrial theme with splashes of bright yellow which add to the fun and lively atmosphere. Wood pallets covering the back wall are adorned with photographs of various Thai settings, and high ceilings give the impression of spaciousness.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Lobbee Thai Connection, Empire Damansara
Lobby Thai Connection is friendly to many dietary considerations, with no pork served and beverages being alcohol-free. Thatโ€™s not to say that a little mixology doesnโ€™t occur at the drinks counter however, and we were surprised by how creative the mocktail menu turned out to be. Not only was each drink unique in taste, but in presentation too, with a definite theme of layering of colours throughout the list.
Drinks
The special purple hued flower oft found in Royal Thai cuisine was used to add colour to the Iced Butterfly Pea With Lime (RM8). It arrives in a tall glass, a beautiful deep blue. A shot of lime juice on the side is added at your will, which quickly turns the liquid to a light purple. A hint of lemongrass smooths over the tart citrus. Itโ€™s pretty and refreshing.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Iced Butterfly Pea With Lime
Iced Butterfly Pea Milkย (RM9) tastes like the rice pudding your grandmother might make but with a Thai twist. A layer of milk sits in the bottom of the glass, with Iced Butterfly Pea with Lime on top. Itโ€™s another one that should be admired first, but then stirred before drinking.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Iced Butterfly Pea Milk
We enjoyed the vibrant colours in the Red Lemon Soda (RM8) as well. Red syrup, lemon juice and soda water form the base, and a mini glass bottle of malt is up-ended in the top. Before drinking make sure to mix it first, letting the flavors muddle and slowly pull the bottle out so it can reach its peak taste.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Red Lemon Soda
Food
Our tasting of appetisers started with Fried Potatoes and Thai Salad Dressingย (RM11): an innovative take on papaya salad. Replacing the fruit with freshly cut and fried potatoes, there was nothing else to do but smother them with the tasty homemade sauce that accompanied them. Composed of sliced green beans, cherry tomatoes, an abundance of red chilies, garlic and dried shrimp, the sauce is worth begging for a bottle to take some home with you.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Fried Potatoes and Thai Salad Dressing
Lobbee have their own version of Thai Crab Cakes (RM13) too. A mix of chicken and crab meat are scooped into an empty crab shell, covered with egg and deep fried, keeping everything sealed inside the crispy packet until slicing open. A different chili sauce comes with this dish, which plays the perfect complement.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Thai Crab Cakes
Thai fish cakes are also brushed with Lobbeeโ€™s flare in their own version, Thai Squid Cakes (RM12). Large pieces of squid are mixed in amongst the fish, onion and spices. Of course, they also come with their very own special sweet Thai chili sauce made with cucumber, chili and peanut.
lobbee thai connection empire damansara
Thai Squid Cakes
Another sauce, tamarind this time, came with tender juicy Chicken Skewersย (RM9) and we were impressed again with the attention to detail the team has given to each and every dish.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Chicken Skewers
The star of the show however, was the Tom Yum Lobster Soup (RM98 – serves 3 people easily). Our eyes must have bulged just as much as the enormous bowl of broth (brimming with an extraordinary amount of seafood) as it was delivered to our table. Lobster, king crab legs, salmon, squid, mussels, soft boiled egg and rice noodles protruded over the top and much care had to be taken in laying the mammoth meal on the table so as not to topple any precious piece from the stack. Cracking open the legs and pulling out the juicy lobster meat, was the most fun I have had eating soup in a long time. You almost need a lobster bib for this one! As meals are finalised freshly upon request, guests can ask for more or less spice as so desired. We had the moderately spiced broth and found it so deliciously more-ish that even though our stomaches felt as though they were bursting at the seams, we kept diving back in to mop up the very last drop.
Lobbee, Thai Connection
Tom Yum Lobster Soup
Especially appreciated after that spicy line-up, was the Blue Ruby Butterfly: a chilled dessert made with coconut milk, butterfly pea coated water chestnuts, and fresh jackfruit. Light and mildly sweet, it makes a flawless ending.
Reasons to visit: freshly prepared sauces – each dish comes with a distinct sauce; Tom Yum Lobster Soup (a must!); creative drinks.
Lobby Thai Connection
LG-07 Empire Damansara
Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
www.facebook.com/lobbeethai
+6 03 7629 4869
Open from 11am- 3pm and 5:30pm-10:00pm on Tuesday – Sunday

11 Comments

  1. Do check out Ngam @ Bangsar too.

  2. Now a summary of thoughts from "Down Under" where it decided in Brisbane to start out a lovely sunny day and now spots of rain fall!
    1. Mixology – either for me a milkbar or a alcohol bar. Never the two should mix.

    2. Thai Crab Cakes: Now you're talkin' baby! I have NEVER had one that hasn't been
    food heaven on earth! Positively the food to eat poolside with a refreshing beer close at
    hand. I am sure Cordobes Junior will concur.

    3. Tom Yum soups: Careful treading here on my magnificent Andalusian steed.
    a. If you like your head to be removed – just ask for the hot variety or like me on your first
    introduction "say nothing" – you can be assured you will get the "rocket blaster version".

    b. Having the first time my head removed and re-stuck on when the waiters found it somewhere
    floating in the Chao Phraya River and drinking ice water in the bucket loads, I was then introduced amid
    many apologies to the fact that you could have a rather mild version.

    c. This mild version is most suitable for my palate and to retain my head.

    4. Squid cakes – no way hosa and that's that. I associate squid with ink and I have
    never in my school days even when drying of thirst resorted to drinking out of my ink
    well. Baron Bic's biros were still a novelty in my school days – pens and pencils reigned
    supreme.

    This appraisal of the Lobbee Thai Connection is very informative and interesting.
    Cheers
    El Colin Cordobes whom some "naughty Thai Staff" in BKK endeavoured to try remove
    heads from bodies!

    • I forgot;
      Would it be in the photo shown – thee and "Cordobes Junior" who appears
      to be in Police like uniform discussing the approach for today's report with one
      of the brothers, Lee???
      El Cordobes Colin who looks with the eyes of a marauding hawk.

  3. I would enjoy the fried potatoes without anything on them, they look great! )

  4. I love Thai crab cakes, squids too…or fish or prawns, all nice! I so love Thai cuisine and OMG!!! The tom yam lobster noodles!!! That's an absolute killer!

  5. Love the colors of the cocktails.

    Greetings,
    Filip

  6. Oh, the butterfly pea flower….I've seen that used in some of our local kuihs but not in a drink (very colourful indeed). And that butterfly pea coated water chestnuts…hmm, something different from red rubies ๐Ÿ˜‰ The wonderful bowl of tom yum soup looks delish too ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Oh wow, more delicious food and drinks. The fried potatoes with the thai salad dressing looks awesome. Thanks for sharing, have a happy new week ahead!

  8. He he.. I didn't know you can use bunga telang to make lime juice!
    I love Thai lime juice and crab cakes a lot ๐Ÿ™‚
    RM98 for that bowl of tom yam soup is rather steep. ๐Ÿ˜‰
    What else was in there?
    Got scallops?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.