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Paik’s Pan, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Paik’s Pan, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Paik’s Pan is the newest popular Korean chain to hit Melbourne. It’s from the same team who have brought Korean chef and restaurateur Jong Won Paik’s restaurants Paik’s Noodle and Paik’s Bibim to town. I popped in a few weeks ago to check it out for What’s On Melbourne.

The focus at Paik’s Pan is on Korean-style hotpot and foundational Korean dishes, which aren’t commonly seen in Australia. Portions are generous, and dishes are designed to be enjoyed between a few people. If you have leftovers, take-away isn’t an issue.

In the same family as shabu shabu, the hot pot at Paik’s comes with broth, and an assortment of meat and veg to the side. When the pot reaches a simmer, you add the ingredients as you please. It’s a light dish, and quite healthy, consisting mostly of vegetables and lean protein.

Beyond hot pot, the two other must order items at Paik’s are dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried boneless chicken ribs) and rabokki (tteokbokki with the addition of ramen noodles, eomuk (fish cakes), gochujang, and egg).

The chicken in the dakgalbi is marinated in a gochujang-based sauce, then stir fried with tteokbokki, sweet potato, green cabbage, and Korean perilla leaves (kkaennip jangajji). When hot, it’s topped with cheese which melts through. When you’re done with the ingredients, a bowl of rice is added and mixed through with the remaining sauce to create some tasty fried rice with lots of crispy bits.

Everything is cooked tableside by the restaurant staff. If you’re inclined to cook things yourself, you can. There’s easy to follow instructions at each table.

To drink, it’s Korean sodas and juices, soji, makgeolli, and makgeolli cocktails. Dietaries are well catered for, and in one difference from the Korean menu, pork options aren’t a thing here, which has allowed Paik’s Pan to obtain Halal certification.

Paik’s Pan

15 Healeys Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9738 9058
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Saison, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Saison, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | I had the pleasure of checking out new dessert shop Saison for What’s on Melbourne. It’s a bit hard to find (at the moment), located down a laneway that doesn’t even show up on Google Maps, behind the construction site that will eventually be State Library Metro Station. Seek it out, and you’ll be treated to some of the best cakes and tarts in town.

I met co-owner and pastry chef Louis, who opened Saison with a friend and fellow chef. Louis has some serious pedigree behind him, having worked at places like Nomad, Grossi Fiorentino, and Cutler & Co, before striking it out on his own.

The name of the shop is a reference to the French word for “season”. Louis explained to me how the seasons inspire what’s on offer at Saison. Not just in terms of flavours and ingredients, but in the floral arrangements available to purchase, in the fleeting moments that each season brings with it. Think of how sakura/cherry blossom is revered, appreciated, and elevated in Japan for a just a few short weeks each year, and you’ve got the idea.

The desserts and Saison are things of beauty, that are as enjoyable to eat as they are to look at. French and Asian inspired, incorporating native Australian ingredients. Camelia of Melbourne is a cake of airy rose mousse, rosella gel, and lychee gel, atop a rice puff base. It comes in the shape of a rose, sprayed with a mist of rosewater before being served. It’s light, balanced, and not too sweet. Three things that form a common thread across the deserts.

A cheesecake of yuzu cream, cheese mousse, and yuzu gel is presented as a wedge of cheese, while the ‘Mangical Sago’ is gem-like creation filled with mango mousse, sago, coconut panna cotta, and lime gel, on a crumble base. Both are brilliant.

Larger cakes are available to purchase with advance notice, and there’s quality coffee, and other lattes, teas, and the like on offer. The black sesame latte, served with a house made sort of cross between a marshmallow and mochi, is one of the best versions I’ve enjoyed in Melbourne.

Saison

2/228 LaTrobe Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0449 284 425
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Wed – Sun: 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Waku Waku, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Waku Waku, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | I love Japanese cuisine, but despite many visits to the country and many delicious Japanese meals enjoyed, I know that I have much more to learn. Enter Waku Waku, a tiny Japanese restaurant recently opened in Melbourne’s CBD that I visited for What’s on Melbourne.

Waku Waku’s point of difference in a city filled with great Japanese options is their signature Hokkaido-style soup curry. Originating in Sapporo, the dish is quite different to the thick Japanese curry that most outside of Japan’s north are familiar with. Generally, you’ll find large chunks of roughly cut veggies, and meat, inside a light broth, usually chicken based, with a number of herbs and spices. Rice is served on the side or udon in the bowl.

At Waku Waku, there’s three protein options available. Charcoal roasted chicken leg (one of the most popular versions in Japan), slow cooked wagyu beef, and tempura veg. It’s tasty, hearty stuff, perfect for the winter.

The soup curry is a must try, but you won’t go wrong with any of the other things on offer either. Things like karaage, gyoza, mentaiko tamagoyaki, and a selection of donburi. The sushi hot dog, which sounds like a terrible gimmick, is an unexpected surprise. Freshly made to order, it’s a salmon hand roll, lightly battered and fried tempura style. Enjoy it like tempura, dipping it in tentsuyu, before each bite.

To drink, it’s premium Kimojo Japanese sodas, and a small selection of sake.

Waku Waku

346 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne CBD
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0452 378 346
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 11:30am to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Onsen Japanese, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Onsen Japanese, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Anyone who has eaten their way through Japan know that often, the best places are those who focus on doing one or a handful of things well. And so it is at Onsen Japanese, which I recently visited for for What’s On Melbourne to get some snaps.

Onsen Japanese specialise in Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen. Your choice of original or spicy, or mazeman (soupless). The first two are made using a rich 12 hour slow cooked pork bone broth. I opted for the spicy version.

Ramen with a serve of karaage is the most popular thing on the menu at Onsen, and it’s easy to see why. The ramen is fantastic, and karaage is some of the best you’ll find in the city.

If ramen isn’t what you’re craving, Onsen also offer a selection of donburi, aka delicious things over a bowl of rice. Things like gyudon (grilled beef), unagidon (grilled eel), and tonkatsu (panko crumbed, fried pork cutlet) curry.

Sides include the aforementioned karaage, and a few other bites like takoyaki and korokke (Japanese croquettes).

Onsen Japanese

609 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Sat – Sun: 12:00pm to 2:30pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Bangkok Food Guide: Where To Eat

Paul
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0
Bangkok Food Guide: Where To Eat

BANGKOK | It’s no secret that Bangkok is a foodie’s paradise. Bangkok has a reputation as one of the best cities in the world for food, and it’s one that’s well deserved.

You can read more about specific foods and dishes that I enjoyed in my article, ‘What To Eat In Thailand‘. The focus of this Bangkok food guide is to help you find some of the best places to eat and drink in Bangkok.

In this Bangkok Food Guide, updated as at May 2023, I’ll tell you the places to visit to try these dishes. There’s a mixture of traditional street food spots that have been perfecting single dishes for generations, new spots by young chefs who are putting their own, contemporary spin on Thai food, and everything in between.

I’ve placed the tips in alphabetical order, and they’re all worth checking out. Are any of your favourites listed below? Are there any places that you think should be on my Bangkok food guide?

100 Mahaseth

Visit chefs Chalee Kader and Chaichat ‘Randy’ Noprapa’s restaurant, 100 Mahaseth. for cooking some of the best contemporary Thai food in town.

It’s a ‘nose-to-tail’ and ‘root-to-fruit’ restaurant, focusing on modern takes on the Isaan food heritage of Thailand’s north-east. Ingredients are of the highest quality, sourced from local farmers and producers across the country. As much as possible is done on site, including dry aging and fermenting.

a Coffee Roaster by li-bra-ry

a Coffee Roaster by li-bra-ry is a coffee roastery and café in Bangkok’s trendy ‘Warehouse 30’. They have a reputation for brewing some of the best coffee you’ll enjoy in the city.

There’s the signature house blend, along with a rotating selection of single origin beans. All beans are roasted on-site. Coffee is brewed any way you like, with an array of hot and cold filter and espresso drinks on offer. There’s also a small menu of brunch items and sweets.

As.is

As.is is a specialty coffee shop and roastery offering some of the best coffee in Bangkok. Ethically sourced beans come from independent growers in Chaing Mai, and are used to brew As.is’ wide selection of espresso and filter coffees.

If you’re hungry, As.is offers a small selection of eat in and grab and go items.

Ba Hao 八號

Ba Hao 八號 is a small bar in Bangkok’s Chinatown, in a converted 1950s shophouse, inspired by 1970s Hong Kong.

Visit for Cantonese inspired cocktails and bar snacks, with threads of Thai influence weaved throughout. In particular, the Yaowaraj cuisine that developed in Bangkok’s Chinatown as Chinese immigrants moved into the neighbourhood.

Bar Scofflaws

Bar Scofflaws is a low-lit speakeasy-type bar, named after the cocktail that originated in France in 1924, as part of a movement to “scoff” at the law banning alcohol. It’s also a subtle dig at the restrictive alcohol laws currently in place in Thailand.

Visit for interesting takes on the classics, and exciting house creations made using local produce with exemplary technique.

BKK Social Club

Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok you’ll find BKK Social Club. The bar, which is number 10 on the “World’s 50 Best Bars” list, is inspired by the vibrant bar scene of 1970s and 1980s Buenos Aires. Drinks and snacks draw upon Argentina and wider Latin America for influences, with some Thai influences too.

Charmgang

Charmgang is a restaurant by ex-Nahm chefs Aruss “Jai” Lerlerstkull, Atcharaporn “Aew” Kiatthanawat, Geravich “Mew” Mesaengnilverakul, and visual designer Saran Yen Panya. It’s about serving authentic Thai flavours and recipes that are becoming harder to find, but presented in modern ways.

It’s a homage to Thailand’s culinary history and culture, with a particular focus on curries, grilled items, and dips. The menu changes monthly, with each chef specialising in one of the three focuses.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Chatuchak Weekend Market, which opened in 1942, is the largest market in Thailand. There are distinct sections of the market to help make navigating the sprawling space easier.

Food and beverage can be found in sections 2, 3, 4, 23, 24, 26, 27. Head over for almost 100 vendors selling an assortment of fresh fruit, Thai milk tea, street food, and other tasty delights.

Coffeeology

Coffeeology is a small chain of Bangkok cafes that source their beans from their own farms, and roast in-house, controlling the entire bean to cup process. The result is excellent coffee.

Order an unsweetened espresso or filter based drink to get the full experience of the beans. There’s also a wide selection of flavoured coffee drinks if you’re after something different, along with a small selection of cookies, pastries, and cakes.

Err Urban Rustic Thai

At Err Urban Rustic Thai, chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones have created a Thai street food influenced menu. Bold, rustic dishes designed to share, inspired by Thailand’s diverse regions.

Err maintains a close relationship with local farmers and producers throughout Thailand. Everything they do is centred around the pillars of minimal-waste, sustainability, and local produce.

Factory Coffee

For some of the best coffee in Bangkok, head to Factory Coffee. The modern roastery and café, has a minimalist warehouse aesthetic, and is very popular with locals. Beans are ethically soured from around the world, and roasted on site. There’s every kind of espresso and filter based coffee you could want, from the classics through to house creations.

If you’re really into coffee, you can sign up for one of Factory’s classes and workshops, run almost every day, on site.

Hair of the Dog

With two locations in Bangkok, Hair of the Dog is a great place to visit if you’re into craft beer. Each location has 13 rotating taps. and hundreds of bottles from the world’s best craft breweries.

If you’re at the Phrom Phong location, you’ll find cocktail bar, The Clinic, upstairs.

Hia Tai Kee

Hia Tai Kee is one one of the few remaining traditional shophouse-style coffee shops in Bangkok. Little has changed since it opened in 1952. Advertisements, photos, and newspaper clippings from the cafe’s past line the walls.

On the menu, you’ll find traditional Thai breakfast dishes, along with Thai takes on classic Western breakfast items.

Jay Fai

Street food spot Jay Fai, named after founder Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta, was founded in the 1980s. The place skyrocketed in recognition after receiving a Michelin Star in the 2018 guide, and being the focus of the 2019 Bangkok episode of the Netflix series, “Street Food”.

The focus is on wok-cooked seafood dishes, using top quality market fresh produce. Each dish is cooked to order by the sole cook, Jay Fai.

Jeh O Chula

Jeh O Chula opened in 1967, selling khao tom (Thai rice soup) and ped palo (stewed duck). You can still order these dishes, but today they’re best known for selling one of Bangkok’s best bowls of tom yum.

Specifically, it’s their Mama O-ho Tom Yum that’s a must try. The soup started its life as a staff meal, perfected over time by the current owners, the grandchildren of the original founder.

Kor Panit

Kor Panit (also translated as Kor Panich) was opened by two former Grand Palace royal chefs in 1932. It was one of the first places to sell kao niew mamuang, aka mango sticky rice to everyday Bangkok locals.

The family recipe used today is the same as it’s always been. A combination of mango with glutinous sweet rice, topped with coconut milk and crisp yellow mung beans.

Mae Varee Mango Sticky Rice

A newer place to try mango sticky rice is at Mae Varee Mango Sticky Rice. They’re considered to have one of the best versions in town, sourcing the finest ingredients from independent Thai farmers. It’s my favourite place in Bangkok for the iconic dessert.

MASH Craft Brews & Bites

MASH Craft Brews & Bites is the place to visit if you’re in Bangkok and looking for some quality craft beer and burgers. Across MASH’s 16 taps and in the fridges, you’ll find a mix of local and international craft beers. If you’re not in the mood for beer, there’s also a small wine, spirit, and cocktail list.

Nai Mong Hoi Thod

If you ask locals where to find the best oyster omelette in Bangkok, Nai Mong Hoi Thod is a name you’ll hear repeated often. The Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded Chinatown hole has been going strong for over 30 years, frying its signature egg and rice flour mixture in lard with a whole lot of oysters.

You can get both a crispy and regular version of the classic Thai street food dish at Hai Mong Hoi Thod. My advice? Get both.

Natthaphon Coconut Ice Cream

Run by the third generation of the family that started the business, Natthapon Coconut Ice Cream have been making ice-cream from the same location for over 60 years. There’s popular flavours like Thai milk tea, coconut, and coffee, along with a rotating selection of seasonal flavours

You can enjoy your ice-cream on its own, or with your choice of a variety of toppings like shredded coconut, aloe vera jelly, and coconut sticky rice.

Om’s Living Room

Om’s Living Room is a tiny craft beer bar located in the residential backstreets of Silom. Across the 12 taps, you’ll mostly find beers from local independent Thai brewers, plus a few taps dedicated to crafty imports, and a “mainstream” tap pouring Singha, Asahi Superdry, and the like.

Or Tor Kor Market

Or Tor Kor Market is one of the world’s top fresh markets. Visit for fresh tropical fruits like mangosteen, durian, and lychees. Once done, head over to the cooked food section, which spans several “alleys” and a food court.

There’s vendors selling assorted curries, soups, and nam priks (chili sauces and dips). There’s an array of dried, fried and steamed products, and skewers being grilled over charcoal.

Phed Mark

Phed Mark is a small restaurant specialising in pad kaprao, one of Thailand’s most popular dishes. Pad kaprao is a dish consisting of protein stir fried with Thai holy basil, garlic, and chillies. It’s served over rice, and usually topped with a fried egg. The main seasonings are soy sauce, Thai fish sauce, oyster sauce, cane sugar, and bird’s eye chili.

At Phed Mark, there’s a few protein choices on offer, including a vegetarian option, and several levels of spice to choose from. It’s my favourite place for pad kaprao in Bangkok.

Sanguan Sri

Sanguan Sri opened in 1970, and harkens back to a different era. Miss Sanguansri ran the restaurant until she passed away aged almost 100, several years ago. She left no heirs, passing the restaurant down to her staff, many of who have been here since the start.

Visit for a selection of signature classic Thai curries and other home-style dishes, plus several rotating daily specials. Portions are small and affordable, allowing you to order a few different things.

Sarinthip Thai Dessert Shop Taladplu

Sarinthip Thai Dessert Shop Taladplu is a family-run stall that’s been making traditional khanom beurng (thai crepes) for four generations.

Unlike Western-style crepes, the batter is fried, forming a light, thin, crispy casing for the fillings. Choose from a sweet version with shredded coconut and foi thong (golden egg yolk threads), and a savoury option filled with shrimp paste.

Small Dinner Club

Small Dinner Club is a 12 seater chef’s table restaurant by owner/head chef Sareen Rojanametin, that challenges preconceptions about Thai food and ingredients, opening up new perspectives on what’s possible, and stoking a sense of discovery.

You’re given the name of the dish as it arrives, its inspiration, and nothing more. After you’ve had a few bites, Sareen and his team ask you questions and give you more details about the dish – ingredients, techniques, and the story behind the dish.

It’s one of the most exciting and unique dining experiences in Bangkok.

Talat Phlu Dessert Shop

Talat Phlu Dessert Shop has been around since 1989, and has been consistently popular with locals ever since. The formula is simple. An assortment of quality traditional Thai desserts, made using family recipes passed down through the generations, at affordable prices.

The Commons (Thonglor)

The Commons is a small semi-outdoor retail space in Bangkok’s Khet Watthana neighbourhood, spread across four levels, with a focus on local, independent retail and dining.

On the ground floor, it’s an open food court with quality international and Thai cuisine. Buenazo, a Peruvian restaurant with a socially conscious ethos, is well worth checking out. If you’re a fan of craft beer, be sure to visit The Beer Cap.

The Originals Mae On’s Curry Over Rice at Saphan Han

The Originals Mae On’s Curry Over Rice at Saphan Han is a curry rice stall that’s been popular with Bangkok locals for over 50 years. Visit for an assortment of tasty curries, stir fry dishes, and a few other things, served with rice.

The food is designed to share, with servings sizes being manageable (and prices low), to allow diners to try a few different things. Everything is cooked by the one chef, who hails from the lower northern Thai province of Phichit.

Toy Kuay Teow Ruea Boat Noodles

Toy Kuay Teow Ruea is one of Bangkok’s original boat noodle spots, located directly on the canal close to the city’s Victory Monument

15 bhat gets you a small bowl of noodles containing your choice of tender, slow cooked beef or pork, meatballs, greens, and noodles, inside a rich, dark broth infused with a fragrant mix of Thai spices and chillies.

Tub Tim Krob Siam

There are many places in Bangkok where you can find the popular dessert, tub tim krob. Tub Tim Krob Siam, which has been in operation for over 50 years, is one of the best. Tapioca flour coated water chestnut pearls, which resemble pomegranate seeds, float in a mixture of crushed ice and coconut milk. Start with the basic, and add one or more of the toppings on offer.

Vesper Cocktail Bar

Vesper Cocktail Bar is an “Asia’s 50 Best” award-winning bar, offering broadly European inspired cocktails, with nods to the bar’s Thai surrounds. Classics are available on request, and there’s also a small selection non-alcoholic cocktails, red and white wine, and bubbles.

If you’re in the mood for a bite, Vesper offers a handful of bar snacks.

Yasothon Duck Larb

Yasothon Duck Larb is a great place to visit if you’re looking to enjoy Issan-style Thai dishes. The restaurant is set up along the street with small tables and stools lining either side of the kitchen and counter. It’s full of locals, and has a wonderful, lively atmosphere.

Everything is in Thai by default, but an English menu is available on request. On it, you’ll find the same dishes as the Thai menu, with nothing toned down. The signature duck larb is a must try.

Yentafo Convent

Yen ta fo is a Thai soup recognisable for its bright pink, sweet, savoury, and sour broth. Yentafo Convent have been serving up the dish for over 40 years, which many rate as one of the best versions in town.

There’s two noodle options on the menu. Yen ta fo, and clear broth minced pork and seafood bowl. Both come as a small or large serve, with your choice of flat rice vermicelli, egg noodles, rice noodles, or flat rice noodles.

โรงเบียร์สหประชาชื่น United Peoples Brewery

โรงเบียร์สหประชาชื่น United Peoples Brewery is one of the best places in Bangkok for lovers of craft beer. On tap and in the fridges, you’ll find an assortment of mostly Thai beers, covering all kinds of styles.

If you’re not a beer fan, there’s a good selection of ciders and meads, including some experimental options. If you’re hungry, there’s a substantial menu filled with Thai and Western style pub food that goes great with beer.

Have you been to Bangkok before? What are your favourite things to eat there, and your favourite place to eat them? What would you add to this Bangkok Food Guide?

Check out my guide of What To Eat In Thailand for a rundown of the best local dishes and things to eat in Bangkok.

What To Eat In Thailand

Paul
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What To Eat In Thailand

BANGKOK | Thailand has a rich culinary history, with diverse regional dishes to be explored. Early influences come from the country’s Indian, Malay, and Indonesian neighbours, while more recent European influences are also apparent. Thai food takes all of these diverse influences to create something unique. Complex, balanced dishes that will excite your tastebuds and leave you eager to try more.

Here are some of the foods that you can expect to find when you’re visiting, and wondering what to eat in Thailand. This list is by no means extensive, rather it’s a list of some of my favourites, a mixture of popular must-try dishes and lesser known (in the West) delights. I encourage you to explore beyond the list and try as many things as you can while in Bangkok.

As well as specific dishes, I’ve included some of the place where you can enjoy these foods in Bangkok. For a full list on places to eat in Bangkok, check out my article, “Bangkok Food Guide: Where To Eat“.

Ba Mee Bpet

This comforting dish, popular at street vendors, features fresh egg noodles, in a light broth, topped with roasted duck. If you’re not in the mood for soup, order the ‘dry’ version – ba mee bpet haeng.

Cha Yen (Thai Iced Tea)

Thai iced tea is known for it’s vibrant orange colour and strong black tea flavour. It’s refreshing, fragrant, and can be enjoyed hot or cold from vendors across Bangkok. Visit traditional coffee shop Hia Tai Kee, to enjoy a cup of cha yen in a space that’s full of character.

Coconut Ice-Cream

Ice-cream made using coconut milk, rather than cow’s milk, is popular in Thailand. The creaminess comes from the coconut, with a lighter, more sorbet like texture than ‘regular’ ice-cream. It hits the spot on a hot Bangkok day. Natthaphon Coconut Ice Cream have been churning a top notch version of it for over 60 years.

Gai Tod

The Thai version of fried chicken is, unsurprisingly, delicious and popular across Bangkok. The Thai twist comes from the sweet and sour, slightly spicy dipping sauce it’s usually served with.

Geang Keow Wan Gai

This dish is well known outside Thailand by its English translation, sweet green chicken curry. Generally served with a bowl of steamed white rice, the dish features a rich coconut milk based curry, filled with chunks of chicken, round Thai eggplant, and chillies.

Gaeng Taypo

This sweet, sour, salty soup, often eaten as a curry with steamed white rice, is made by cooking dry salted fish in coconut milk with morning glory.

Hoy Tod

This oyster omelette is a popular Thai street food, that can be found at street vendors all over Bangkok. It’s a thick omelette, featuring an egg and sweet potato starch batter filled with small oysters. Its fried in pork lard for a crispy exterior, and topped with chilli sauce and lime juice.

Visit Nai Mong Hoi Thod for one of the best versions in town.

Jok

Usually eaten for breakfast, jok is Thaland’s version of congee. It’s a thick rice soup cooked with pork broth. It’s usually simply topped with an egg, and garnished with slices of ginger, spring onions, and pepper. Jok Prince do a top notch version of the dish.

Kaeng Hang Le

Also known as gaeng hanglay, kaeng hang le is a popular pork curry from Northern Thailand, with Myanmarese origins. Pork (usually belly) is marinated in an aromatic dry curry paste, then simmered with with ginger, pickled garlic, shallots, pickled garlic, and peanuts. It’s commonly served with long grain rice.

Kaeng Mus Sa Mun

Known in English as massaman curry, this popular Southern Thai dish combines Indian, Persian, and Malay influences to wonderful effect. The flavours of all three influences are apparent. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, meld with lemongrass, galangal, and shrimp paste. The rich, coconut cream broth usually contains chicken or beef, and potatoes.

Kaeng Som

Also known as gaeng som, kaeng som is a sour fish soup with vegetables. Sourness comes from tamarind, while palm sugar is used to sweeten the curry. The Northern version highlights the sweet and sour components, while the Southern version includes turmeric and chillies.

Sanguan Sri and The Originals Mae On’s Curry Over Rice at Saphan Han are great places to try kaeng som, along with many other traditional soups and curries.

Khanom Bueang

They might be called Thai crepes in English, but khanom bueang aren’t your typical crepes. A popular street food snack, they’re crispy, taco-like shells, filled with sweet and savoury ingredients like meringue, shredded coconut, foi thong (strips of fried eggs or egg yolks), or chopped spring onions.

Sarinthip Thai Dessert Shop Taladplu has been making the dessert for four generations. Be sure to visit them.

Khanom Chan

Khanom chan is a layered dessert made from tapioca flour, rice flour, and coconut milk. Similar to Malaysian kueh, there are many flavours of the dessert, depending on the additional ingredients used. Things like pandan, jasmine flowers, and butterfly pea are popular.

You can find fantastic versions of it, along with a full assortment of other traditional Thai desserts, at the popular Talat Phlu Dessert Shop.

Khao Moo Tod Gratiem

This simple snack consists of pieces of diced pork, deep fried with a lot of garlic, and soy sauce. It’s perfect served over steamed rice with a fried egg.

Khao Niew Mamuang

More commonly known outside of Thailand by its English name, mango stick rice, khao niew mamuang is Thailand’s favourite dessert. It consists of sticky rice cooked with coconut milk, topped with fresh sliced mangoes and roasted mung beans and sesame seeds for crunch. It can be found all over Bangkok.

The version at the famed Kor Panich is delicious, as is the one at my favourite spot, Mae Varee Mango Stick Rice.

Khao Tom Mud

This dessert sees young bananas stuffed into sweetened sticky rice and coconut milk mixture, which is then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It stores conveniently in the banana leaf wrapping, so you can enjoy whenever you want during the day.

Kor Moo Yang

Popular Issan snack, kor moo yang, or Thai grilled pork neck, can be easily found in Bangkok. The combination of lean meat and juicy fat, marinated and grilled over charcoal, is wonderful. Similarly to moo ping, it’s commonly enjoyed with stick rice.

Also try yam kaw moon yang, which sees the pork mixed in as a salad with chillies, onions, and lime juice.

Kuay Teow Reua

Originally served from vendors in boats in the 1940s, kuay teow reua, or boat noodles as they’re commonly known, are a simple, affordable dish. It’s a strong pork and beef broth, seasoned with dark soy sauce, and pig or cow blood mixed with salt and spices.

It’s served in a small bowl with beef or pork, garlic, fried garlic, radish, cinnamon, bean sprouts, parsley, morning glory, and Thai chilli flakes. The version at Toy Kuay Teow Ruea Boat Noodles, one of the original boat noodle vendors that’s still around, is delicious.

Larb

Larb is a dish of Lao origin, but it’s also very popular in Northern Thailand, and easily found in Bangkok. It features minced protein, usually pork, mixed with lime juice, toasted rice, onions, aromatic herbs, and chillies. It’s a sour, salty, spicy delight, topped with fresh mint leaves and served with sticky rice.

Yasothon Duck Larb is bustling late-night street food spot that specialise in a tasty duck offal version of larb that’s well worth trying.

Local Fruits

When you’re in a tropical place like Thailand, you have to try the brilliant fresh fruits. Be it from one of Bangkok’s many markets, or street side fruit vendors, there’s no shortage of places to try delights like durian, mangosteen, papaya, mango, lychees, and more.

Chatuchak Weekend Market, and the higher end Or Tor Kor Market across the road are both great options for fresh fruit.

Moo Ping

One of the most popular things you’ll see grilling on the streets of Bangkok is moo ping. It’s thin sliced pork, marinated in a punchy, sweet and savoury mixture, skewered and grilled over charcoal. It’s often served as several skewers in a bag, with khao neow (sticky rice).

Moo Satay

The Thai version of this well known snack features protein (usually pork, but sometimes chicken), marinated in turmeric and coconut milk before being grilled with more coconut milk. It’s served with peanut sauce for dipping, pickled cucumbers, and red onions.

Mookata

Mookata, which translates into English as “pan pork”, is a combination of hot pot and barbecue. Sliced meat is grilled on the dome at the top, while vegetables and other ingredients cook in the broth at the bottom. Served with nam chim suki dipping sauce, mookata is a popular dish to enjoy with a group.

Nam Prik

Nam prik refers to the wide assortment of chilli sauces found across Thailand. Usual ingredients include fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, lime juice, and fish or shrimp paste. You’ll find nam prik served in small saucers as an accompaniment to other dishes.

Pad Kaprao

Pad kaprao is a dish consisting of protein, commonly minced beef or pork, stir fried with Thai holy basil, garlic, and chillies. It’s served over rice, and usually topped with a fried egg. The main seasonings are soy sauce, Thai fish sauce, oyster sauce, cane sugar, and bird’s eye chili. Simple, addictive, and delicious.

The version at Phed Mark, is one of the best I’ve ever eaten, with lots of options around your choice or protein and spice level.

Pad Kee Mao Sen Yai

Translating into English as ‘Drunken Noodles’, this dish features wide rice noodles stir fried with herbs and vegetables like, fresh basil, baby corn, carrot, onion, hot chilies, and garlic; and meat. It’s name is said to have come from the fact that it’s a dish you can easily prepare with what you have in the fridge when coming home after a big night out.

Michelin Starred street vendor Jay Fai, makes an outstanding version. Make sure you try it along with her signature crab omelette.

Pad Pak Bung Fai Daeng

If you’re in the mood for some vegetables, it’s hard to go past the popular street food dish pad pak bung fai daeng. Morning glory, aka water spinach, stir fried hot and fast in the wok with oyster sauce, fresh chillies, vegetable oil, salt, garlic, and sugar.

Pad See Ew

This popular noodle dish features wide rice noodles, stir fried in a wok with light soy sauce, garlic, Chinese broccoli, egg, tofu, and thinly sliced meat. Dark soy sauce is added towards the end to stick to the noodles and char/caramelise them.

Pad Thai

If there’s one Thai dish that everyone knows, it’s pad Thai. The dish was created in the 1930, as part of the government’s attempt to build national unity and portray Thai culture to the world. It features rice noodles, stir-fried in a wok with peanuts, a scrambled egg, and bean sprouts.

Visit Thipsamai for the classic version, and Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu for a fancier, refined take on the dish.

Pla Pao

Pla Pao is simply grilled fish. There are many grilled whole fish dishes in Thailand, but the classic pla pao is one of the most popular. A whole, fleshy fish like mackerel or snapper is filled with lemongrass and covered in a thick layer of rock salt or salt flakes. It’s then slowly grilled over charcoal. The result is flesh that’s tender, flaky, and full of flavour.

Sai Ua

Sai ua is a grilled pork sausage, originating in Chiang Mai. An aromatic sausage of minced pork meat, herbs, spices, and kaeng khua red curry paste, grilled over charcoal.

Som Tam

Som Tam, or Thai green papaya salad, is a perfect addition to any meal. Green papaya, tomatoes, string beans, dried prawns, toasted peanuts, and hot red chillies are pounded together using a pestle and mortar. It’s a spicy, fresh delight.

Thong Yip

One of the nine auspicious Thai desserts, served at important ceremonies and occasions like weddings, thong yip is made by cooking an egg yolk and flour mixture in a jasmine scented sugar syrup. Similar desserts include thong yot, foi thong, and thong ek. The difference between them primarily being their shape and thickness.

Tom Kha Gai

Tom kha gai is a spicy and sour our chicken soup, similar tom yum. The addition of coconut milk makes it creamier, milder, and sweeter than the latter.

Tom Saap

This popular spicy and sour Issan soup features tender pork spare rib meat in a broth with with aromatics like galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Tom Yum

This spicy and sour Thai soup is one of Thailand’s most popular and best known dishes. There are many types of tom yum, which generally contain a water, coconut milk, and meat or seafood broth. The broth is flavoured with roughly pounded fresh, aromatic ingredients like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilies, shallots, and garlic. Vegetables, meat, seafood, and other ingredients and sauces are then added.

The two main versions are tom yum nam sai (clear broth), and tom yum nam kon (creamy broth), with any number of additions and tweaks. Visit Jeh O Chula for one of the best versions of Mama O-ho Tom Yum in town.

Tub Tim Grob

Also known as thapthim krop, this popular Thai dessert consists of grenadine soaked cubed water chestnuts, then boiled in tapioca flour. It’s commonly enjoyed with coconut milk and ice cubes. Tub Tim Krob Siam, just around the corner from popular Khao San Road, specialise in the dish.

Yen Ta Fo

This soup is known for its bright pink broth, which comes from the use of fermented bean curd paste. It’s a wonderfully sweet and sour soup featuring your choice of noodles, and an assortment of things like pork, fish balls, sliced squid, fried tofu, morning glory, and cubes of coagulated blood. It’s usually topped with a deep fried wonton skin.

One of the original yen ta fo spots in Bangkok, Yentafo Convent, is still one of the best places to enjoy a bowl.

What are some of your favourite Thai foods to eat? Let me know if there’s something I need to try that’s not on this list. For a full list on places to eat in Bangkok, check out my article, “Bangkok Food Guide: Where To Eat“.

Biang! Biang! 古城秦味, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Biang! Biang! 古城秦味, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | It seems like it was just the other day when I first tried Xi’an-style biang biang noodles, but it was actually a few years ago. In that time, several spots specialising in the noodles have popped across Melbourne. Biang! Biang! 古城秦味, who recently opened their second location in Swanston Street in the CBD, is one of them. I visited for What’s on Melbourne.

Biang biang noodles are made using wheat flour dough which is hand pulled until long and flat, like a belt, then cut wide. The name comes from the ‘biang’ sound that’s heard as the thick dough is slapped on the benchtop. Long an obscure Xi’an dish, enjoyed by workers lacking the time to make thinner noodles, they’ve recently become popular throughout China, and now abroad.

At Biang! Biang!, you’ll find several variations of the namesake noodles, along with other Shaanxi (the province of which Xi’an is the capital) noodle dishes and sides. Toppings for the biang biang noodles include things like chilli oil, dry roasted chilli, minced pork, slow cooked lamb, eggplant, and tomato. There are several combinations to choose from. The stewed lamb with both kinds of chilli is my pick of the lot.

Other noodles dishes are items like lamb offal soup; vermicelli with spicy blood tofu; and ramen noodles topped with chilli, pork, tomato, and egg. For sides, its things like sliced beef and ox tongue in chilli sauce, sliced pig’s ear in chilli oil, and dumplings in Xi’an-style broth.

Biang! Biang!’s other speciality is the popular Shaanxi street food roujiamo. It’s a meat-filled sandwich, sometimes referred to as a ‘Chinese hamburger’. The focus here is on the crispy pan-fried pastry roujiamo, rather than the baked, bready type that’s better known in Melbourne. Light, flaky, layered pastry is filled with things like pork; tofu skin and egg; and beef tripe. The traditional slow cooked cumin beef and chilli version is my favourite. Spicy and addictive.

To drink, there’s a selection of Western and Chinese sodas and tea, and soy milk.

Biang! Biang! 古城秦味 (Swanston Street)

255 Swanston Street
Melbourne CBD
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 7012 0500
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sun – Thu: 11:30am to 11:50pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30am to 1:00am

Serendib, Northcote

Paul
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Serendib, Northcote

MELBOURNE | Serendib is a Sri Lankan restaurant in Northcote, the result of a chance decision leading to an unexpected outcome. I was recently invited to check it out.

Owner Dilip Kithulguruge owns a fish and chip shop in Kingsbury. A little while back, he started introducing Sri Lankan street food specials to the menu. They were a hit with customers, so much so that Dilip made the decision to open a restaurant wholly dedicated to Sri Lankan food

The food at Serendib is offered buffet style. Around 25 dishes on rotation, all freshly cooked, catering to all dietary requirements. A vibrant assortment of rice and curries, condiments, and daily specials. And at $25 a head, all you can eat, it’s a steal.

Expect things like dhal, beetroot curry, kotthu roti, tempered potatoes, saffron rice, papadums, and spicy chutney. Be sure to order the single dessert on the menu, watalappam. It’s a rich, crème caremel-like jaggery and cardamom custard.

There’s no alcohol on the menu, but you can order sodas and mango lassi.

Serendib

76 High Street
Thornbury
Victoria 3070
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9646 6934
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Sun: 11:30am to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 9:30pm

Disciple Roasters, Brunswick

Paul
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Disciple Roasters, Brunswick

MELBOURNE | Disciple Roasters is a coffee roaster and ‘cellar door’, located in the backstreets of Brunswick, just behind Sydney Road. It’s by Marwin Shaw, who has been involved in Melbourne’s specialty coffee scene for over a decade. He’s the guy who started Monk Bodhi Dharma, Admiral Cheng Ho (now Kaede), and Bayano the Rebel.

These days, Marwin’s focus is wholly on roasting, and the Disciple cellar door is the best place to see what he’s doing. It’s a tiny space, and you can watch beans being roasted and coffees being brewed all in the one room.

Only black coffee is on offer, around 15 different beans at any given time. Espresso options are listed on one side of the coffee menu, and filter on the other side. The best beans are sourced from around the world, with Marwin and the team working closely with growers at all stages of the bean to cup process

Cups of coffee range from $5, to almost $300 for the most exclusive stuff. Each bean has a story, and the knowledgeable Disciple team will happily explain what’s going on with the flavours, who the growers are, and the intricacies between the processes used by the farm. It’s really interesting stuff that helps elevate each cup of coffee.

There’s some really interesting stuff happening in the world of coffee at the moment, fruit and yeast fermentation when drying the beans, for example. Disciple is one of the best places in Australia to learn about it, and enjoy some of the best coffee you’ll find anywhere in the world.

There’s no kitchen on site, but if you’re hungry there’s a rotating selection of house baked goods available each day. Biscuits, rolls, slices and the like. Bags of beans, Monk’s Chai, and hand-made ceramic coffee mugs are also available to buy.

Disciple Roasters

16 Black Street
Brunswick
Victoria 3056
Australia

Telephone: 0413 546 742
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 7:00am to 3:00pm

Baby Snakes Bar, Footscray

Paul
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0
Baby Snakes Bar, Footscray

MELBOURNE | Baby Snakes Bar is a Footscray wine bar that eschews expectations about what a wine bar should be. When you step inside, the venue looks nothing like your typical wine bar. It’s bright, it’s fun, there’s lots of colour, and there’s an edge that sets it apart.

Take a look at the wine list, and it’s clear the team know what they are doing. Baby Snakes is owned by Mark Nelson, one of the co-founders of highly regarded wine bars The Moon, and Milton Wine Shop. Managing the venue, and putting together the wine list is wine buyer Rhiannon LaHatte.

The wine list at Baby Snakes changes regularly. It showcases small, local producers, and leans towards minimal intervention drops. It’s a wine list that’s approachable and fun, much like the bar itself. Beyond wine, there’s also local craft beers on tap and in the fridges. There’s also a tight selection of classic and playful cocktails. Think frozen margaritas and mai tais, peanut butter old fashioneds and a boozy white peach iced tea.

If you’re hungry, there’s a small snacks menu featuring bites like smoked almonds, chips, cheese, and charcuterie. You can also order pizzas from Slice Shop downstairs.

There’s DJs playing vinyl on Fridays and Saturdays, and local bands playing chilled sets on Sundays.

Baby Snakes Bar

30 Chambers Street
Footscray
Victoria 3011
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Wed – Fri: 3:00pm to 1:00am
Sat – Sun: 1:00pm to 1:00am

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