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MELBOURNE | Recent years has seen several suburban shopping centres up the level of their food court game. Whereas once upon a time, the suburban food court was where good food went to die, this is no longer the default position. Westfield Doncaster is no exception to this, and has several quality options for those looking for a feed. One of the newest openings in the centre is Thai restaurant Miss Ping’s, which we were recently invited to check out.
Miss Ping’s is the creation of Singaporean native Winnie Chiang, who is also the brains behind popular Thai eatery Thailander, which has seven locations around Melbourne. Chiang’s aim with Miss Ping’s is to provide accessible Thai food rooted in authentic flavours, with a modern twist, alongside more traditional Thai dishes. The large space reflects the modern aspect of the restaurant, with vibrant colours, sleek lines and a large open kitchen running alongside the bar. Neon lights and signage provide further fun while the use of wood helps soften the overall feel of the space. Large floor to ceiling windows, meanwhile, provide expansive views over the suburbs and of the Melbourne CBD skyline. Definitely nab a window seat if you can.
The drinks menu features several pages of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks – think juices, teas, mocktails, ice blended drinks, local wine, and beers. We were intrigued by the ice blended juices, and tried the ice blended watermelon and lime freeze and the ice blended ‘Phuket Paradise’ with coconut juice and pulp, green apple and mint. Both are refreshing and delicious, and compliment the food wonderfully.
Moving on to the food, and we decided to go for the more traditional dishes on offer. The beef boat noodles with meatballs, chinese broccoli, beef, and pork crackle are a highlight, with a generous serving of ingredients inside a slightly sweet, complex broth. If you like herbs and freshness, this is the dish to order. The caramelised grilled pork skewers are another highlight – the pork is tasty and tender, with a beautiful caramelised char. It is served with served with sticky rice and nam jim jaew, and we were very impressed by this spicy sauce – it certainly doesn’t hold back on flavour or heat.
We couldn’t visit a Thai restaurant without trying a curry, and went for one of our go-to Thai dishes, the red duck curry. It features roasted duck, Thai eggplant, green beans, lychees & pineapples in a fragrant sauce with a very generous mountain of rice. It was a tasty dish, and had a slight kick to it but was definitely toned down compared to the best versions we’ve had. Not quite the authentic red duck curry that we like but still a dish we’d happily order again. To finish were the soft shell crab steamed bao with green papaya slaw and sweet chilli mayo. This was the only real lowlight of the meal. The bao is steamed perfectly and nice and fluffy, and there is a good amount of crab meat, but the batter is very thick and heavy. It’s not bad per se, and the flavours are well balanced, but it’s not something we’d order again given the other great options on the menu.
Overall Miss Ping’s does enough right to warrant your consideration if you’re in the area and keen for some Thai food. There’s a good selection of dishes on the menu, with enough variety to satisfy those looking for ‘safe’ options and those looking for something more authentic. A good example of suburban shopping centre dining done right.
Miss Ping’s
Shop 2001, Westfield Doncaster
619 Doncaster Road
Doncaster
Victoria 3108
Australia
Telephone: (03) 8590 7567
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Mon – Wed: 11:00am to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Thu – Fri: 11:00am to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Sat: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 9:00pm