MELBOURNE | PaChan opened as an Asian dessert spot late last year, down buzzing Katherine Place. It’s a collaboration between Busarin “Rin” Rojkarnwong and Sapol “Pol” Deoisares from Rosslyn Thai Cafe, and Jean Hrair Wehbe and Tukta Saelim of Snow Moon. I recently paid them a visit for What’s On Melbourne.
Desserts like pandan toast cups; Thai sticky mango rice bingsu; and durian ice-cream, with jackfruit and sago on waffles are what PaChan has become known for during the short time it’s been open. Last week, however, the next evolution of the venue took place, with the launch of a full savoury offering. It’s this side of PaChan that you probably don’t know about yet, and you should.
With an impressive CV behind the team, including times spent cooking with David Thompson at Long Chim, and several other Melbourne restaurants, it should come as no surprise that the food at PaChan is the real deal. Like the dessert menu, it’s Thai flavours and dishes that form the core of the offering, with a few other Asian influences sprinkled throughout.
There’s classics like pad kaprao, in this case a chicken mince version; chicken or prawn pad Thai, and Thai green curry with grilled beef. There’s also things like spicy, garlicky pork and green bean stir fry with rice; and a fusion of Northern Thai chicken hung lay curry that’s served with Italian-style spaghetti.
On the non-Thai front, there’s Japanese-style combination plates with your choice of protein, along with rice, pickles, soup, salad, and radish paste. The large, dense, saucy pork meatball is a great choice, as is the Tasmanian A5 wagyu, which you cook to your preference at the table.
For something sweet, there’s the full range of desserts that PaChan has already become known for. My personal recommendation is the Thai mango sticky rice bingsu. It’s a lighter take on the already light classic Thai dessert, served atop a bingsu base.
To drink, it’s a selection of South East Asian drinks, with a focus on Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails.
PaChan
19 Katherine Place
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: 0422 963 599
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 10:00am to 10:00pm