MELBOURNE | 2025 has been a great year for lovers of charcoal chicken in Melbourne. New venues like Habibi Chicken and Kokoras have levelled up the Lebanese and Greek versions, and now former La Pinta and Earth Angels chef, Narit Kimsat, and Waxflower co-owner Jimmy Pham, are doing same with Thai charcoal chicken at Yang Thai.
Narit’s wanted to own a charcoal chicken shop or curry joint for years, so when the opportunity came around to turn the former into a reality he jumped at it. The interior is a small one, with a handful of tables and chairs, a fridge/counter separating the front from the small open kitchen. A chicken mural lines one side of the space, the other is filled with shelves holding Narit’s extensive collection of CDs, Thai cookbooks, and WWE magazines.
The menu is short and simple – quarter, half, or whole chicken, available on its own, or as a combo with sticky rice, som tum, and a zesty green chilli, lime, and coriander dipping sauce. There’s also seasoned hot chips with tamarind ketchup, plus Thai milk tea and pandan Basque cheesecake slices. There’s local canned drinks in the fridge, with alcoholic options coming one the liquor license is approved.
It’s all about freshness and attention to detail at Yang Thai. Narit’s chicken is salt-brined for five hours, marinated overnight in a black pepper and tamarind marinade, then cooked over charcoal using two Brick Chef grills.
Chicken is finished in the oven to order, so it’s always fresh and juicy. The som tum is also super fresh, pounded to order in a large Thai pestle and mortar. It’s all super tasty, with the bold, balanced flavours shining through. Vegans can enjoy marinated oyster mushrooms in lieu of chicken, and there’s usually a couple of daily specials on the board. Specials include things like larb, and grilled skewers.
Yang Thai is primarily a take away situation – the “dining area” is a casual covered spot out the front, complete with stainless steel tables and colourful stackable plastic chairs. Despite only being open a week, they’ve already got things pretty down-pat. There was a consistent small line when I visited, but food kept coming out fast, with smiles and positive vibes all ’round.
Yang Thai
49 Blessington Street
St Kilda
Victoria 3182
Australia
Telephone: n/a
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Website
Open
Wed – Sun: 12:08pm to 8:08pm