"Hat Yai on SE Belmont Street is the the second outpost of Alan Akwai and Earl Ninsom’s southern Thai fried chicken stand. The southern Thai region’s chicken is characterized by a crispy rice flour-based batter and fried shallot topping; patrons usually add cuts of it to combo sets with chewy, crispy roti and an addictive Malay-inspired dipping curry. If you choose to go outside the boundaries of fried chicken, it’s possible to order the curry on its own; try it alongside plates of lesser-known regional Thai dishes like Phuket Hokkien noodles (a Thai take on Peranakan stir-fried noodles), Southern Thai ground pork, and brisket curry. A menu of tropical-Thai cocktails like turmeric Mules and pandan gin and tonics complement the spice-driven dishes, fittingly, while the cardamom-sesame flavored Thai iced coffee should certainly help anyone power through a midweek lunch break." - Katrina Yentch