From creamy crab omelette to garlic prawns, Thai restaurant Nampla nails the details

Thai cuisine isn’t exactly underrepresented in Singapore — from hawker stalls to swish restaurants, you’ll find iterations of pad Thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice at every turn.

But it’s not every day a new spot comes along that makes you sit up and crave seconds. Nampla, a Thai restaurant in Marine Parade, does just that — not by reinventing the wheel, but by doubling down on deeply rooted regional flavours and punchy, garlic-forward seasoning.

It’s confident, comforting, and full of character — and yes, like its namesake (that means fish sauce in Thai), it uses six types of fish sauces across its menu.

A culinary meet-cute

Nampla is a serendipitous tale of Penang-born chef Simon Wong crossing paths with chef Song Supansa at a bustling temple fair in Thailand.

After tasting her Thai basil pork rice, chef Simon sought out the person behind the flavour-packed dish, and that encounter kicked off not just a food affair, but a culinary partnership rooted in passion and nostalgia.

When chef Simon spoke of his desire to open a Thai restaurant in Singapore, chef Song eagerly offered to bring the taste of her hometown, Nakhon Si Thammarat, to Singapore diners as well.

It helped that both were already Singapore-based Permanent Residents (PRs). Their shared ambition soon materialised into Nampla — a space dedicated to showcasing lesser-known regional Thai fare that launched in December 2024.

The restaurant’s popularity quickly surged, prompting them to expand into a neighbouring unit. While the original setup featured Thai-style street stalls to mimic Bangkok’s vibrant food scene, the need for more seating soon took precedence.

A flavourful and textural affair

The food here was overwhelmingly delicious — a riot of textures and flavours, with every dish hitting that sweet spot between boldness and balance. From the underrated yum mamuang kung (prawn mango salad) to its signature klua prik krea (tiger prawns in garlic, chilli, and salt), it’s clear that the two chef-owners know their way around a wok.

We started with the yum mamuang kung (prawn mango salad, S$14.90) — a lively appetiser with refreshing crunch, citrusy brightness, and a subtle sweetness that teased the palate without overpowering it.

The prawns were plump, fresh, and generously portioned, making the price point feel justified.

Next came the crab galore creamy omelette (S$22.90), a lush plate of train fried rice wrapped in a silky omelette, flecked with chunks of fresh crab. The rice was exceptionally seasoned, and the creaminess of the omelette added just the right amount of indulgence without becoming cloying.

As its name suggests, it truly is a glorious plate to devour, especially with how faultlessly seasoned the fried rice was. For those uninitiated, train fried rice is a term given to this version of fried rice, as it’s commonly served as street food along Thailand’s train tracks.

This is the kind of dish you’d crave on a rainy day, or when you need cheering up after a long week.

The Hat Yai fried garlic chicken (S$13.90) came to the table golden, gleaming, and unapologetically fragrant. While we initially lamented the unavailability of the moo ping (grilled pork skewers), this substitution proved a worthy contender.

Typically left overnight to marinate in spices such as turmeric, garlic, and coriander, this iteration was crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside, and heavy on the garlic — a must for garlic lovers.

For another garlic-heavy knockout, the klua prik krea (tiger prawns with garlic, chilli, and salt, S$22.90) didn’t disappoint. Deep-fried until shell-crackling crisp, these prawns could be eaten whole — heads, tails, and all.

The avalanche of crunchy garlic on top added texture and serious depth, especially when spooned over white rice.

To finish, we had Krit’s spicy steamed lime fish (S$25.90), a family recipe from Nampla’s head chef Krit Sadda.

The seabass came bubbling in a tangy, lip-smacking chilli-lime broth — delicately spicy and just acidic enough to brighten the flavours without overwhelming the fish. Every spoonful had us reaching back for more.

Almost faultless

There’s little to nitpick when it comes to Nampla. The food speaks volumes, the service was efficient and accommodating (even correcting an order mishap swiftly), and dishes arrived hot and fast.

If we had to call out one thing, it’d be the rather snug layout of the space — not ideal for large groups. But with a second outlet now open at Marina One, there’s every chance this teething issue may soon resolve itself.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on The Masses’ new farm-style Sunday brunch, and our Tokyo food guide.