Restaurant Moon, Darlinghurst (9 May 2018)

346 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
https://www.restaurantmoon.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/moonrestaurant346/

European Thai Cuisine in Darlo

A first look at Restaurant Moon looks very promising with a very tempting menu and prices that seem reasonable considering there's an ex-Longrain chef in the kitchen. Pad Thai with Prawns ($17) is tasty with well balanced flavours and surprisingly 6 large sized deveined prawns I'm most happy to see. With the absence of a Phuang Prik (Thai condiment set) I'd recommend asking for some chilli/fish sauce on the side for an extra flavour kick. My only wish for this dish at the time would be a larger wedge of lemon for a more liberal squeeze over the dish. Dinner snacks look great and I'm hoping some of these will make it onto the lunch menu #please. Service was professional and friendly and the space feels roomy and clean. Looking forward to trying more of the menu, especially the oysters, salmon betel leaf, laksa, crab fried rice, green curry and egg pancake plus of course the Thai panna cotta for dessert.

Long Chim: Thai, CBD Sydney (26 Sept 2016)

14 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000
(Access via Angel Place)
http://www.longchimsydney.com
https://www.instagram.com/long.chim

Street food at a fine dining price

Finally open for lunches I was keen to check out Long Chim. Dining solo meant a one dish wonder was on the cards so a pad thai usually fits the bill. At $34 this would have to be one of the most expensive pad thai dishes in Sydney so expectations were very high. Pad Thai with prawns, peanuts and bean sprouts ($34) came with four medium sized prawns that were not deveined which is a bit disappointing to see. I think such a price tag deserves at least 6 larger king sized prawns that should also be deveined. I thought visually showcasing the prawns better in the dish presentation would probably be a good idea since you're paying such fine dining prices as well. It's a pretty tasty dish with some housemade condiments served in little jars that you can add for extra flavour. There was sliced starfruit and banana blossom in the mix. The starfruit helped refresh the palate and the banana blossom added some extra texture although was quite tasteless on its own. Plenty of peanuts, maybe too many I think left in the bowl by the end of the dish. 

I guess the rent in the CBD is very high and this is a very large restaurant with a nice fit out. Service was good and friendly. Would I order again. Probably not at that price unless sharing it as part of a banquet with friends although those four prawns won't go far. Still keen to try other dishes which sound very interesting and the chef's reputation for thai food is supposed to be legendary. I noticed there was a set menu for $45 per person and you get to try six dishes including a dessert which sounds like much better value. I'm assuming there's a minimum number of people required otherwise I'd be wanting to try this. Or do I try their prawn and fish dumpling laksa at $34 a pop as well. So many tempting choices that come at a price. Toilets are unisex complete with moving lights over the sink. Urinals for the guys are contained within their own cubicle which makes them nice and private. Mirror balls spotted in the backend dining area for a bit of fun. Credit card payments will add a further 1.5% which is added to the bill automatically for your convenience.

Tum's Thai Take Away, Randwick (21 Sept 2016)

167 Alison Road, Randwick NSW 2031
http://www.tumsthai.com.au

Thai take away in Randwick

Have been coming here for years for Thai take away. Always friendly and efficient service. I'd say it's more westernised Thai than traditional thai though but it's become a bit of comfort food for me. Have always loved their Curry Puff ($1.50) with flakey pastry and tasty filling. Only available in vegetarian and a long time Simon Favourite. Golden Triangle ($2.50, 4 pieces) are very small and crispy although I think the curry puff is better value in terms of size. Pad Thai ($10) + Prawns ($2.50) is nice and packed with 6 large prawns. The Red Curry ($11) + Prawns ($5.50) is enjoyable and not overly spicy. Comes with 6 large prawns and a medley of vegetables — I love the sliced bamboo in the mix. Best enjoyed with Jasmine Rice ($2 small). It's a bit strange than it's only $2.50 for 6 prawns to be added to the Pad Thai while it costs $5.50 for 6 prawns to be added to the Red Curry #prawngate.

Chat Thai, Randwick (8 Sept 2016)

222A Carrington Road, Randwick NSW 2031
http://www.chatthai.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/chatthailife/

Authentic thai takeaway

“Chat Thai was established in 1989 and since then our aim has not changed; to bring honest and authentic thai fare to discerning and loyal sydney diners. Our menu is versatile and constantly evolving, embracing the best of regional and rural cuisines to satisfy even the most discerning of palates.”

I always thought Chat Thai would be more expensive than your usual Thai takeaways but I'm finding some of the classic dishes are very reasonably priced or even cheaper for a more authentic product. First time trying the Bangkok wings - lightly battered and fried chicken wings ($9.90) and loving them that have now become a new Simon Favourite. I'd definitely get these again to share as a starter and I like how they pack them in a cardboard box for takeaway. I'm liking the Pad Thai with prawns ($15.90) with decent sized prawns. The basic Pad Thai is only $10.90 but prawns adds an extra $5 to the dish. Panaeng curry of beef with kaffir lime leaves and basil ($11.90) is full of flavour and goes well with some steamed jasmine rice ($2.50 small). The beef becomes a little tough towards the end of the meal but the flavours of the curry keep giving some tasty satisfaction. You can't order online for a pickup so you have to call instead unless you want it delivered. Service is efficient and polite. It's a popular spot for locals to dine as well. Keep a takeaway menu handy at home as I find their website on a mobile very non-user friendly.