SINGAPORE'S HortPark may not have the same exotica as, say, the banks of the Chao Phraya River, but at least it doesn't have the accompanying hygiene issues or choking pollution. Plus, this scenic manufactured paradise in Alexandra does have its charms. Which makes it a perfect setting for a modern Thai restaurant like Kha which serves traditional specialities with a breezy Aussie edge.

HortPark is literally a giant garden created by NParks that features a lush landscaped carpark, themed garden areas and a plant nursery. There's also an educational element, with enclosed rooms filled with eco-furniture to illustrate environmentally friendly living spaces. Before you begin to wonder whether air-conditioning is part of the eco-concept, you arrive at Kha and forget what you just saw.

True to owner-hotel entrepreneur Yenn Wong's style, Kha is all sleek and chic, with dark wood and cement floor softened with warm colours incorporating a Thai aesthetic. The menu has a strong traditional foundation, but Aussie consultant chef David Hamilton - of Phuket's Trisara resort and Bangkok's Dream hotel - has updated the flavours to give it more of an international flair.

The common steamed Thai otak, for example, is turned into a spicy grilled salmon souffle ($17) wrapped around lemongrass skewers and served with a red curry dressing on the side. The conventional otak features minced fish mixed with the red curry and steamed for that moist custardy texture - here, the deconstructed version is so-so but on the dry side and vaguely fishy.

A better bet would be the pork salad ($16), where well-marinated pork neck is grilled, pulled into strips and served with cucumber and mixed herbs with a pleasant sweet dressing. Also good is the wagyu beef ($29) salad with its generous meaty chunks - chewy but tasty, served with spicy papaya salad. A must-try, though, would be Kha's version of street food - three super-addictive dips that range from spicy to sweet that come with a platter of raw and steamed vegetables and a delicious deep fried whole mackerel. Who needs the dubious ambience of a Bangkok street when you can get better quality ingredients in a much nicer setting?

Still, despite its modern intentions and creative flair, Kha's menu doesn't always hit the mark. Winners would include the tom yam goong - a classic but done properly here. The pad thai is yummy and the steamed sea bass ($30)has clean flavours and nice balance of chilli and lime. But the red curry with duck ($26) suffered from the duck's mushy texture, although the gravy was decent and had interesting additions of grapes and lotus seeds. The green curry with soft shell crab was also marred by the overly salty crab and the incongruent match of battered crab and creamy green curry.

And if you need a reminder that this is an Aussie-influenced menu, order the black sticky rice and date pudding ($15) which is your quintessential sticky date pudding with Thai touches like a tamarind caramel sauce and mango ice cream. It was sinfuly good though.

While it could do with some acoustic improvements - once people start talking and the piped-in jazz starts going, there's no serious conversation to be had here. It's much more of a group dinner place, with acceptable food paired with some exotic mocktails like fresh pomegranate and lychee juice, or pineapple juice with Sprite. Linger with friends, soak in the scenery and the charm, and you've got a cool night out.

KHA
33 Hyderabad Road, #02-02,
Tel: 6476-9000
(Open for dinner only. Open for lunch from May 6)
Rating: 6.5/10