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MELBOURNE | When it comes to Thai food in Australia, Melbourne has always played second fiddle to Sydney. In recent years, however, a number of places have been closing the gap, serving up food as good as you’ll find anywhere in Thailand. One of these places is Thai Tide.
Bangkok born owner Merica Charungvat has been in the Melbourne restaurant game for 13 years, balancing her first restaurant with university studies. Her most recent venture is Thai Tide (and it’s seafood spin-off Talay) Both are influenced by Thailand’s floating markets, and the food is outstanding.
I ordered an assortment of dishes from Thai Tide a few weeks ago, and Merica sent me some seafood dishes when Talay launched soon after. I highly recommend it all, but have a particular fondness for the tom leng saap hot pot. It’s an entire pork spine, sloe cooked until the meat is fall off the bone tender, in an aromatic broth filled with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and chilli. Seriously, once you’ve gotten over the whole “pork spine? really?” thing, come to your senses and order it. You’ll love it.
Also grab a serve of pad kapao – stir fried chilli basil with jasmine rice and egg chiffon. It’s a flavour and texture delight. When choosing your meat option, select the spicy thin sliced ox tongue. It’s ridiculously good.
Some khor moo yang (grilled marinated pork collar) is also happiness inducing.
If it’s some seafood from the Talay offshoot you’re craving, definitely try the stir fried Darwin mud crab in yellow egg curry sauce, and a side of the tod mun goon (Thai prawn cakes).
Merica opened Thai Tide just before COVID-19 hit (it replaced FOMO Thai), and launched Talay during lockdown 2.0. Instead of flying home to be with family through this tough time, she’s been powering through to support her family (they’re down to a single income because Merica’s Thai Airways pilot husband hasn’t been able to fly), and her staff, who aren’t entitled to government support.
Do yourself a favour and order some dinner from Thai Tide / Talay. You won’t be disappointed.
Thai Tide
171 Bourke Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9650 7987
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 11:00am to 10:00pm