Authentic flavors of Northeastern Thailand！The dreamy taste of plum sauce paired with money shrimp cakes

Text and photos byMaji Xiaotu

Lately, I've had quite a bit of luck with Thai cuisine—I visited Chiang Mai and Bangkok back-to-back, and just when I thought I couldn't get enough, I was invited by the Hilton Hotels & Resorts Group’s “Thai Like” to try their new dishes. So I gathered some friends to revisit the experience, and we were all thoroughly satisfied with the delicious, refreshing, and uniquely bold Thai flavors.

Although I can’t handle spicy food very well, I absolutely love Thai cuisine—whether it’s Thai curries or sour and spicy soups. Since Thai spiciness isn’t as intense or numbing as the Sichuan-style heat, and is balanced out with herbs and spices, I’m especially fond of the fresh and comforting flavors of Thai food.

“Thai Like” is located on the G floor of the Breeze Center’s Fuxing branch, under the Hilton Restaurants Group. It turns out they’ve also ventured into Thai cuisine, even going so far as to bring in Chef Li Ming from Thailand to serve as the executive chef for both “Thai Like” (Breeze Fuxing branch) and SUKHOTHAI (Shin Kong Xinyi branch). Since the chef is originally from northeastern Thailand, the flavors are truly authentic, giving me the feeling of being back in Chiang Mai.

This time, I tried several creative dishes that are quite different from what you usually find at typical Thai restaurants. Each dish was surprisingly delightful, with particularly refreshing flavors. Even though I was completely full afterward, it felt comfortable—not heavy or greasy like the Thai food you often get elsewhere.

The dishes that left the deepest impression were the curry pumpkin chicken, money shrimp cakes, bite-sized pineapple stuffed with flavor, stir-fried ferns with shrimp paste, and the dessert Thai toast with pandan sauce—which I couldn’t stop eating even though I was stuffed. These were all unique specialties I’d never tried before. The chef handled the use of spices masterfully and cleverly, creating many delicious combinations that were not only surprising but also had a uniquely stylish flavor. And yes, I definitely want to go back again.

The dining environment here is also refined and comfortable, yet the prices are set at mid-range. In addition to à la carte options, there are also set meals for 2–6 people, priced at 599 NTD per person plus 10% service charge. Just 3–4 friends can have a great meal together, making it perfect for group gatherings. The private rooms are also elegantly designed and offer privacy, making them ideal for hosting guests.

After being invited here, I’ve been eager to gather my friends for another visit (the curry, shrimp cakes, and toast were all so good...), and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Thai cuisine—especially those who enjoy Northern Thai flavors. You definitely won’t be disappointed at “Thai Like.”

Located on the G floor of the Breeze Center near the Civic Boulevard entrance, “Thai Like” also feels particularly quiet and peaceful.

The dining environment inside is comfortable, and the private rooms are even more elegant, making it perfect for group meals and entertaining guests.

In addition to inviting designer Ye Yuqing—who has lived in Thailand for over ten years—to plan the interior design, they’ve also specially selected high-end German WMF tableware and handmade ceramic plates, which really add to the refined atmosphere.

From the moment you sit down, you’re treated to refreshing drinks like lemon granita, lemongrass honey tea, and Thai milk tea—all cooling and delicious. The lemongrass honey tea is especially fragrant, while the lemon granita is a huge hit for its incredibly refreshing taste.

I really like how the Thai milk tea here isn’t cloyingly sweet like it can be in Thailand, yet it still retains that classic Thai tea aroma.

【Thai Scallop with Papaya Shreds】

A sour, sweet, and refreshing appetizer that isn’t too spicy. Both the papaya shreds and scallops have a slight crispness, making for a really pleasant texture.

【Charcoal-grilled Pork Neck】
Maintains the freshness and crispness of Matsusaka pork, enhanced with the aroma and elasticity from charcoal grilling, served with a sweet and sour sauce—it’s a great palate pleaser.

【Money Shrimp Cakes】
Using ground white shrimp mixed with squid paste to create an extra chewy texture, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried to achieve an ultra-crispy outer layer, served with the chef’s special plum sauce. It’s absolutely delicious—I could eat several of these myself！

By the way, did you know that money shrimp cakes are the authentic version of Thai shrimp cakes? Named for their coin-like shape, they symbolize wealth rolling in for the New Year, and are a popular Thai snack. Moon shrimp cakes, on the other hand, are a later Taiwanese variation, wrapped in spring roll wrappers and then deep-fried, making them quite different.
The money shrimp cakes at Thai Like are crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned—I couldn’t stop thinking about them after I left！

【Thai Jasmine Fragrant Rice】
The guilty white rice—I think the real culprit is the curry that comes after, which makes you eat way too much rice. Especially here, where they use high-quality Thai jasmine rice, it’s honestly too delicious. For someone like me who loves rice, it’s simply irresistible.

【Curry Pumpkin Chicken】

This one is an absolute must-recommend. If you come to Thai Like, this is definitely a dish you must order.
The aromatic and refreshing curry chicken is served inside a steamed pumpkin bowl. When eating, you can scoop out the pumpkin flesh and mix it with the curry—the combination is spot-on. Paired with rice, it becomes even more irresistible, and before you know it, us foodies polished it all off, totally breaking the calorie bank (but let’s not talk about that).

【One-Bite Pineapple Stuffed with Flavor】
This is also one of the chef’s signature dishes, especially that tamarind sauce—it’s really unique and makes the pork skewers even more delicious.
After this meal, I really think the chef is amazing—each dipping sauce is so distinctive and thoughtfully made, and they all pair perfectly with the ingredients.

【Spiced Clay Pot Mussels】
This dish retains the natural seafood flavor and is paired with an incredible dipping sauce. The sauce isn’t heavy at all—in fact, it brings out the aroma beautifully.

【Drunken Shrimp Stir-Fry|?酢考br /> Another dish that almost sold out instantly. This group was already pretty full, but because it was so good, it disappeared in no time. Usually|?醵己苡停?饫锶床换幔?窒阌痔穑?鸷蛘莆蘸馨簦?命?醴浅Ｃ牢丁＜/p>

【Shrimp Paste Stir-Fried Fern】
Usually, the most common shrimp paste dishes are shrimp paste water spinach or shrimp paste cabbage. I’ve never had shrimp paste fern before, but it was really tasty—I never would’ve thought it could be this good. By extension, I guess shrimp paste can be used with a lot of vegetables. Next time, I’ll try it with green beans or spinach.

【Golden Snapper】700g / $680
The fish is incredibly tender. The lemon-flavored fish is a must-order when I go to Thai restaurants—it’s just so delicious.

【Thai Toast with Pandan Sauce】
After eating so much, you’d usually expect a dessert like mango sticky rice, Thai-style ice cream, or shaved ice. But instead, we got a big plate of hot Thai toast. I was so full I thought I’d just have a tiny bite, but it turned out to be unexpectedly delicious—and actually, super amazing!!!

The steamed toast was soft, fluffy, and just the right level of moist. Paired with the pandan sauce made from condensed milk and spices, this sauce was absolutely divine. It’s truly the most perfect and satisfying ending to the meal.

And the next morning, I actually found myself missing this toast and pandan sauce combo. I seriously wanted to ask the chef if he’d consider mass-producing it.
Don’t miss out on this special dessert if you visit “I Like Thai”!

This meal at 【I Like Thai】left a really great impression. The dishes are creative, healthy, refreshing, and delicious—plus, there’s none of the greasiness or heavy flavors you often find in other Thai restaurants. I’ll definitely come back. Everyone should give it a try and sample Chef Li Ming’s amazing cooking.

【I Like Thai】Breeze Fuxing Branch
Reservation hotline: 02-6606-5511
Address: G Floor, No. 39, Section 1, Fuxing South Road, Taipei City, Breeze Plaza GF
(Go down the entrance on Civic Boulevard and you’ll see Up)
Business Hours:
Lunch: 11:30–14:30 (extended to 15:00 on Sat & Sun)
Afternoon Tea: 14:30–17:00
Dinner: 17:30–21:30

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