Khao Pad Tom Yum @ @bangkok

@bankok is not the best name for a restaurant, no sir. It's also messing with my blog titles that I only established format wise yesterday. Meh. Life moves on.

@bankgok is located in the bizarre space in the back of the Capitol Theater; Capitol Square. Asian restaurants in an enclosed open air conditioned courtyard whilst on the mezzanine empty computer and telco shops somehow survive on zero customers. And of course there is also an Irish pub on the corner.

So despite eating at the Japanese joint across the way in Capitol Square a number of times I've never been near @bangkok. Which turns out to be quite the shame.
Lunch was a Tom Yum fried rice; Khao Pad Tom Yum

Tom Yum was always a favorite of mine but has fallen off the menu in the last few years, was whilst it was one of the dishes I always insisted on an can only assume I've become very sick of it.

Not any more; can only imagine how difficult it can be to enure that this dish is not overly Tom Yum, or that weak so to think that someone had simply crumbled one of those hideous Tom Yum stock cubes into some rice.

Flavour was full and strong, emphasised by chucks of both lemongass and galangal and a kaffir lime leaf; key Tom Yum ingredients. The vegetables were cooked to perfection, rice was embedded with the Tom Yum flavoring and was fresh and fluffy.

I'll be back here. Tom Yum is also back on the radar and I see a Tom Yum noodle soup in my near future.

Where – @bangkok

When – 27/2/13

What – Khao Pad Tom Yum

Cost - $8.50

With – Mr Dong

Rating – 3.5/4

Rat Na @ Saap Thai

Typically this had to start with me eating alone. Not a huge fan of eating alone but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Rest of the guys went for Korean. I don’t do Korean.

With the jingle of coins in my pocket I knew I had to go cheap and Saap Thai with their Rat Na was calling.

Saap Thai, (Pitt Street) is a hole in the wall with very little to tell it apart form from anything else. It looks like the Korean convenience store next door but with the shelves thrown out and table/chairs thrown in. The view of the car park exit of World Square doesn't help much either.

They do a good Rat Na though.

I’m new to Rat Na, had my first hit late last year at Home (note to self, get back to Home soon) and have been hooked ever since. Wide flat rice noodles and veggies lightly fried before being served in a yellow bean gravy. Looks a bit funky but is the perfect antidote to the greasy fried noodles (looking at you Pad Kee Mao and Pad See Yew) that make up a lot of orders.

In addition – and this is the kicker – the gravy allows you to add in the majestic foursome that is Thai condiments (Fish Sauce, Dried Chill, Sugar and Vinegar (with fresh chillies)) to taste.

So soft noodles/crunchy vegetables, and with a personalised sweet, sour, spicy, and salty gravy. This dish has balance happening all over the place.

A great dish and a new favourite.

Looks a bit funky as a dish, and the gravy would put people off. Luckily I have a Thai colleague who serves as a food adviser to convince me this was a thing worth jumping in. Would recommend it to anyone

Saap Thai do a veggie version at $8.50 so it’s hard to find fault. They even throw in egg as opposed to the $2 I see creeping in for egg (looking at you Home) these days. Sure the place itself is a bit of a dump but I’ve eaten in much (much) worse and the service is friendly. Specials board is in Thai, and Thai only; that’s got to be a thing.

Where – Saap Thai

When – 25/2/13

What – Rat Na

Cost - $8.50

With – Johnny No Mates

Rating – 3/4

What's This Then?

This is a blog.

In early February and our offices moved to the Cnr of Pitt and Liverpool in Sydney CBD.

The Cnr of Pitt and Campbell is well known for being the nexus of Thai activity in Sydney and must have the highest concentration or Thai shops and restaurants, and Thai folks, in the whole country.

Which works for me - I have a big thing for Thai food having lived there for 3 years and am still a regular visitor to BKK.

I had a good handle on this place when I lived nearby Surry Hills about 3 years ago but 'Thaitown' has since gone from strength to strength.

This is a guide to help me track what I'm eating, where and when, and what was good.