Bites: Casual Thai Dining @ Piyawat The Sweetery, Victoria Park.

Piyawat the Sweetery first came under my radar a couple months back while I drove through the Vic Park strip. With its bright orange sign board saying “the Sweetery” I initially thought off it as a dessert only place.  I soon found out that they did proper meals too and decided to come in for lunch on a Thursday.

Piyawat the Sweetery has the usual one dish suspects with a few interesting additions.  For lunch, I enjoyed Crispy Prawn Tom Yam.  A dish that truely has its own bragging rights with its super creamy tom yum sauce being the highlight.  It was simply awesome when paired with fluffy steamed rice.  What more can you ask for?  Crispy prawns, and fragrant tom yam! Flavour bomb, Definitely not your traditional Thai dish but super potent and delicious!

We also ordered the Pad Thai Gai which is Pad Thai with Chicken.   While it did not blow me of my socks or anything, it was definitely cooked well. Which means it is one of the more decent ones out there.  I will go back and try their stir fry flat noodles the next time! My sis said it was pretty good when she went there.

Alas, Piyawat the Sweetery is known for their famous desserts.  Whether its the Mango Sticky Rice or their Dessert Toasts, the ending is always sweet here.  

Piyawat’s Thai Milk Tea Toast was the highlight of my meal. Probably the best I have had since my first encounter with the amazing buttery bread in Taiwan. Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside with generous amount of butter. Then you have the silky Thai milk tea which was silky smooth and fragrant without an overpowering sweetness courtesy of the tea. Lastly, the coconut ice cream was generous bits of coconuts making it absolutely brilliant! So much to like on that dessert plate.  Very well executed and not just your boring toast with “vanilla” ice cream though sometimes that might be all you are craving for.

If you are looking for something new, fun and different to eat in town the definitely to the Victoria Park to try Piyawat the Sweetery.  Also note that Piyawat the Sweetery closes at 6pm every day folks, so definitely do not plan a dinner here unless they change their timing which you can always check on Zomato!

WenY

Bites: Classic Thai Dining with a Modern Touch @ Itsara, Nedlands.

We finally got our ex-colleague Win out to eat with us.  This time, at Itsara in Nedlands.   The bloke who previously dined with me at Nahm Thai reunites for a whole new level of Thai dining!  His reluctance to join us  is understandable as he was not keen on being a victim of high spec Thai dining.  At Itsara, diners a choice of indoor sitting or outdoor sitting in the garden.  Typically, I would not like to sit outdoors in summer because it is stinking hot!  Fortunately, both choices of sitting are air-conditioned!  That evening we were given the option of the group dining menu or the ala carte. We opted for the set menu as it guarantees the complete Itsara experience for the table.  

After ordering some drinks to start, a host of appetisers made their appearance.  The betel leaf wrap and chive dumpling on a spoon.

While the dumpling was pretty decent, I enjoyed the Betel Leaf Wrap better.  Filled with prawns, roasted desiccated coconut, and Thai spices, it was super refreshing.  

The next dish I believe is called the Fleeing Fish.  Catchy as is, the flavours of this dish send me on another roller coaster ride.  On first bite you get the saltiness of the fried fish.  As you chew, the freshness of the mangoes and acidity of the lemon juice all of which mellowed nicely with the sweet sauce made for a perfect appetiser! 

Crispy fish of the day with fresh mango, lemon grass, kaffir lime, ginger, lime zest and cashew nuts tossed with complex homemade sweet and tangy chilli dressing.

Initial impressions of the duck were very positive with its tender flesh and perfectly cooked outer bit means the fat was perfectly rendered. This gave each bite a hint of smokiness.  Then you have the “full-flavoured” pineapple dressing which was nice, though I would question the full-flavoured portion of it ha ha.  Another dish that despite being a meat dish was extremely refreshing!

Pretty Duck; Char-grilled marinated duck with fresh green mango, shallot, cashew nut and homemade full-flavoured pineapple sweet chilli dressing.

Believe it or not, we were already feeling pretty full at this stage and the mains were not even out!  But as the kind host started bring rice out, we knew it was time for the mains. 

Green Curry w/ Chargrilled Chicken.

Itsara Island; Bite sized pieces of barramundi drizzled with caramelised tamarind lime and fish sauce on a bed of crispy Thai herbs

Besides the 2 mains above, we also had a delicious prawn dish and the Itsara Mignion Curry which tasted similar to a Massaman. Each dish were worthy of praise without doubt.  The Mignion Curry was a pairing between tender beef and a rich curry sauce while the chicken was perfectly grilled on the outside with a fragrant green curry paste.  Also, who does not like crispy fish with a tangy dipping sauce?!  The best part of it all?  Fresh plump prawns cooked spot on, and the sauce was super good.  Heaps of chilli and garlic! Not quite sure what sauce was used but I could not stop putting spoonfuls of it on my rice.  Very nicely done.

Feeling very full, we decided to skip dessert and go to Koko Black for dessert.  So how did my friends and I feel about Itsara that night?   While the upscale Thai food at Itsara was every bit enjoyable, I have to question the vibe I get.  My friend who’s part Thai thought the food’s sugar level was a notch too high while the rest thought Nahm Thai ranked better.  Did it?  I really wondered because I felt Itsara had better balance on the tasting plate by alternating the curries, and the palm sugary sauced dishes. Presentation the food at Nahm Thai made a much better statement though!   Unfortunately its closed now!  Putting comparisons aside, there is a good reason why eating Thai food always has a special place in my earth.  The service of is a notch above the rest.  Then comes its flavours, I do not think there is any cuisine in this world better at balancing its flavours than Thai food.  It is the pinnacle of multi-flavoured balancing!!

WenY

Bali 2016: Modern Asian @ Mama San, Seminyak

For Sunday night’s dinner in Bali we set foot into modern Thai restaurant Mama San.  This cool joint is the brain child of Chef Will Meyrick who has already made his mark in the Asia Best 50 list with his other high profile diner Sarong.  But instead of donning his waitstaff with the formality of Sarong, Mama San is his popular venture which sports a more casual appeal serving the masses with its modern Asian food.  While I have not tried Sarong, I was definitely super keen to see what was in store for us at Mama San in Seminyak.  (Just so you know, Chef Will Meyrick has opened two other Mama Sans in Hong Kong and Malaysia too!

Roasted Peking duck with steamed choy sum & red bean sauce.

Most of the time when you get Peking Duck its only the skin that is served because the rest of the duck is rarely marinated hence the other courses like the Sang Choy Bow comes to play.  At Mama San, it was served like a Roasted Duck along side the Chinese staple of steamed choy sum and some “tim cheong”.  The crisp duck skin really made an impression along with its juicy flesh.  However, what I questioned was whether Mama San has overdone the sauce because it was hard to appreciate the duck when it was drowned in all that sauce.  After all if one was eating Peking Duck, you would only have a small dash of sauce although some might say its a matter of personal preference.

Vietnamese Grilled Prawn on Sugar Cane with rice paper roll and nuoc cham.

Next we had these amazing grilled prawns.  It has been a long time since I last had these and I really loved it.  These garlicky prawn skewers are slightly sweet and almost like fish cakes but made out of prawns.  This was a DIY session as we used these skewers to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls! Summers!

Chatuchak crispy pork ribs with green mango peanuts & Nam Yam dressing.

Named after the largest market in Thailand, these finger licking good dish reminds me of the food I have had in Thailand.  Crispy pork ribs were seasoned so well it reminded me of Som Tam Nua’s Fried Chicken.  This dish was extremely palatable.  The pork ribs for were fried well and flesh was tender!  Then you have the sweet/sour Mango Salad which helped de-grease all that porky action that just happened.  Its that sort of balance that makes Thai cuisine so popular all over the world.  Two extremes on a plate that balances out one another to create a whole lot of roller coaster in your mouth.

Roasted Duck Red Curry.

Red curry and rice is one of the best Thai dishes to go with rice.  This was no exception with its deep red curry sauce ever creamy and rich in spices.  Unlike the overly sweet Peking Duck, the level of sweetness in the curry was spot on.  I also felt like the sweetness had sense of fruitiness and acidity which really complements the creamy sauce. But be careful of the baby eggplants!  They are like little land minuses they are really bitter when you bite into them.

Crispy whole fish with three-flavor sauce wild ginger turmeric pineapple chilli & tamarind.

Last but not least was the three flavoured fish. Thai cuisine’s habit of putting the three flavours of sweet, sour and salty consistently across its dishes makes Thai cuisine some of the most appealing cuisines in the world.  This was no different.  The fish was perfect with its mild chilli jam sauce having a nice bite of acidity from the tamarind and also the sweetness of the pineapples.  What makes fish like this enjoyable is when you get a small part of the fish that is really fried and crispy despite getting soaked with all the sauce!

My highlight of Mama San would definitely be the Prawn Skewers and Chatuchak Pork Ribs!  Interesting and interactive dishes thats jam packed with flavour! Not to forget it is amazing textures too. There has never been a shortage of love affair between Asian Cuisine and the rest of the world. Mama San Bali’s take on the Asian cuisine (predominantly Thai) is a decent attempt.  While trying to stay as authentic as possible, I could not help but feel that the dishes served at Mama San had a notch of sugar more than I am used too.  Even then, the meal was really enjoyable.   Add its amazing interior with a matching cocktail list and Mama San easily makes for a great night out.

WenY

Bites: Galangal Thai Cuisine @ East Victoria Park

Located just minutes from the main café strip in Victoria Park, lies another hidden gem in town.  Galangal Thai Cuisine has been around for years but its hidden location among the East Victoria Park’s suburb shops means it gets little exposure compared to the more main stream ones on the Albany Highway café strip.  The shop is pint as anything but as I have said before, never be too early to write off anything as some of the best things come in small packages.  My meal here with 6 other companions were an absolute bargain with the voucher giving us more than 50% of the price, but even without it, a meal here would not blow your wallet.  Small but complete 3 courses can be as cheap as $30 or as expensive as $60 depending on what you get.

 

It was a good first impression when I found out that their Thai Iced Milk Tea and Coconut Juice started at $3 bucks while sodas were only $2.50.   Comparatively, typical Perth prices for an Iced Milk Tea normally starts from $4.50.  My expectation of a small little glass with more ice than anything were seemingly exceeded.  It arrived in a large Ikea see through glass filled to the bream.  Definitely a steal for $3.   Its taste while not the best still proved substantially delicious and refreshing when paired with some of Galangal Thai Cuisine’s slightly spicy offerings.

 

We had 3 appetizers that night.  First was the Papaya Salad or Som Tam with all the condiments including peanuts,  and dried shrimps. A table favourite loved for its crunchy textures which are not only refreshing, but tasty as well. The sauce here had everything it needed. Salty, sweetness, and acidity with a mild heat. Definitely could do with more chili though.Papaya Salad; shredded papaya, tomatoes, snake beans, chili, roasted peanuts, dried shrimps, lime juice, palm sugar

 

Next was the Tom Yam soup with Chicken($8) or Prawn ($10).  The bowl was slightly larger than your typical bowl but do not feel cheated. The prawn option came with at least 2 or 3 large prawns. Very yummy. While the soup tasted fine as is, I would have really preferred more heat to it. So if you are a thrill seeker, definitely ask for more chili!Tom Yam; spicy and sour soup with lemon grass, galangal, coriander, kaffir lime leaves. chili, lime juice

 

The last appetizer was the beef salad ($10) and it was by far my favorite appetizer for the night.Perfectly seasoned and cook spot on, the finely sliced beef was absolutely tender. The salad dressing again, was top notch like the Som Tam. However, it was the clever mix of greens and shallots which includes coriander, mint, cucumber that won my heart. It was a simple yet very cleverly put together recipe with all the herbs complimenting one another to give the dish a clean aftertaste. Beef Salad; lightly cooked beef, shallot, chili, coriander, mint, tomato, fish sauce, lime juice

 

The finish of the appetizers was followed by the arrival of our Pad Thai ($14).  One with prawn and the other with chicken.While the taste was unmistakably Pad Thai, there is an alteration that would have made an OK noodle perfect. That is to reduce the amount of palm sugar used. It was not bad as is but there seemed to be a lingering sweetness in each bite that I did not quite like! In the end, it felt a bit colluded between staying true to its roots or to conform to the Aussie palate. Definitely stick to the former IMHO.

 

The next dish to hit the table was the beef Masaman.  Sitting close to the top of my curry list which also includes the Red Roasted Duck curry, the Masaman is something that is either extremely moreish with rice or a failure in waiting.   In the hands of Galangal Thai Cuisine’s chef, it was an absolute blessing.  Even Mei, who tended to dislike this dish due to other restaurants who undercook the bovine, found this curry to be delicious.  Seems to me like the chef’s slow cooking methods have paid off as the beef easily fell apart even by means of a spoon.  Served with rice, and its Thai at its best.Beef Masaman Curry; rich and aromatic beef curry slowly cooked with coconut milk, roasted peanuts, potatoes and tamarind

 

Another dish served best with rice, the Roasted Duck Red Curry.  All the merits of a good Roasted Duck Red Curry was present here.  Perfectly cooked duck served with a slightly crisp skin with a rich and fruity sauce.  Duck breast were not the most tender but nothing noticeable when eaten with rice.  Definitely a crowd pleaser.  This curry can easily be a meal I will happily chow down with a serve of Jasmine rice.  Give me that any day, and I will be a happy man.  No arguing on that. (Edited picture with dual toning to further experiment with Lightroom)  Roasted Red Duck Curry; roasted red duck curry cooked in red curry paste, coconut milk, lychee, tomato, fresh basil

 

The last dish for the night was the Pad Prik King.  A quick stir fry which includes to use of a special in-house chili paste with prawns, snake beans and kaffir lime.  I have to say, it was just bursting with fragrance.  The chili paste was well sautéed and those kaffir lime leaves were just so yums together.  Definitely a good variation from my typical order of Basil Stir Fry. Pad Prik King; prawns, Thai chili pastel snake beans, Kaffir lime leaves

 

The dessert for the night was a combination of two things that is very true to the Thai street food culture.  One was the sticky rice, and the other was a coconut ice cream with hints of coconut flesh.  Creamy, sweet, and fragrant with a good savory-sweet balance simply brings out the best of this dessert.  Together, they are a pairing that lives at the very top only to be rivaled by its classic siblings; the Durian or Mango with sticky rice.  If I had one wish, it would be to double this desserts size.The meal for the 7 of us ended up at $140.  That is extremely cheap and much of the cost was shaved off the bill thanks to the use of a Groupon promotion.  But without a the voucher, would it be very much more expensive?  Well for 7 appetizers, mains, dessert and drinks, the bill worked out to be around $280 which was about $40 per head for a complete 3 course plus a drink.  With the level of finesse on the table, a comparable meal elsewhere would not have been any cheaper than what I paid here full price or not.  But while the meal was not too expensive, be wary that the sizes of the food here were not exactly the largest in town.  But with such moreish sauces to go with rice, I doubt you will be complaining much.  Last but not least, I have to commend the decent service displayed by the staff that kept coming to our table despite being extremely busy on a Sunday evening. Our repeated calls for drinks were heard more often than not, and impressively without a sulk. 2 cheers for that.

 

This was definitely the highlight of my foodie hunt last week.  The food was good,  and my dining companions were every bit as awesome.  While its location away from the main café strip brings disadvantages, Galangal Thai Cuisine’s legion of loyal fans along with it’s prestigious recognition from the food industry is sure to keep it strong for a long time to come.   Sadly, this might be the ONLY and truly delicious Thai place in the whole of the Victoria Park area.

 

WenY

Bites: Red Opium @ Perth (revisited)

Red Opium became our host 2 weeks ago for XL’s birthday.  Draped in dark red light, the venue is mysterious as it was seductive.  While my friends were talking about the pretty waitress, the owner Penny who remembers me as “the blogger” she did not hesitate to recommend me a few of their new creations.  Needless to say, I loved most of it.  But old staples became habit as I ordered several of my top favorites from Red Opium’s banquet.

See my first trip to Red Opium here :

WenY Wonders Why : Red Opium

To start the meal, I ordered meatballs.  But not just any meatballs.The finely diced meatball was all rave in my mouth.  But the little surprise was the finely diced “laksa leaf” or “bunga kantan” which gives it a lovely fragrant.  To finish, a delicious Panang curry.  Yummy!

 

Next up were the son-in-law eggs.While the savory-sweet sauce caught our taste buds, it was the perfectly cooked moist yolk that made us happy.  This was easily XL’s favourite.  Even fishman and Yv thought it tasted fantastic.  The marvels of basic things!

 

An unusual sighting at a Thai restaurant is ceviche.  But Red Opium is not shy to try.  it was a new dish recommended and I have to say that I really liked the thick slices of salmon cut.  All the crispy red onion diced with shallot, coriander and chili made it really nice too.  To bring it all together was a delicious vinaigrette!Red Opium’s Ceviche of Salmon!

 

As we were seated in what was probably the darkest corner, some of my pictures for the mains did not come out nicely.  Or maybe I was just too hungry haha.Yv’s favourite for the night was the duck curry.  I once commented that it lacked sauce and clearly it did not go unnoticed.  Here, the sauce was plentiful.  Just the way I liked my curries to be.  Duck meat was roasted spot on and was still tender.  So nice it was!  But where tenderness was concerned, the perfectly cooked beef Masaman was also a table favourite with fishman calling it the dish of the day.  Now, if only the potatoes had another 15 minutes or so, it would have been soft through.   On the other hand, the deconstructed green curry was not so popular around the table.  Its curry was flawless but something about the fish did not quite appeal @@! 

 

A final photo for the night for XL’s  birthday.  Great fun!  But we clearly ate too much @@!Red Opium was a great host that night.   The food was good and it was not priced to kill.  With 8 mains, 6 appetizers, 7 soups and rice, the bill cost around 40pp with the entertainment card shaving a couple of bucks off the bill.  Even without, it would still be less than $50pp.  It was really filling and everyone enjoyed it.  Owner Penny was her usual friendly stuff and had a good laugh at my very un-Thai Thai friend who does not do spicy or seafood. Good stuff ;)!

 

WenY

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Bites: Red Opium @ Perth CBD

With catchy names like F-duck, Kiss of Death, and Crying Wagyu populating its menu, Red Opium is without a doubt one of the most interesting entries in Perth this year.  While the menu screams Thai, do not be fooled as Red Opium prefers to be called “Thai inspired”.  So if owner Penny drops by your table, authentic is not a word that will score you points.   This new eatery distinguishes itself from the conventional by offering unique Thai-styled tapas.   Funny thing though is that they do not serve alcohol.  Perhaps it is something they might soon obtain as I know how good Thai cocktails can be with fruits, vodka and a hint or basil/mint.  For me, its even better than a Mexican Sangria.

For Mei and Ness’s birthday dinner tonight, we had the banquet @ $50 per person.

The first appetizer was the yin and yang dip.  Presumably the light creamy dip was the yang.  It was finely diced prawns in a delicious coconut broth.  The crunch from the Papadam was perfect to accompaniment for the yummy prawn dip which benefit from the sweetness of the coconut milk.  The next one was minced meat with pork crackling.  At this point I feel compelled to praise the chef behind this appetizer because it was super simple but it worked.   Just basic crunchy goodness!  With the Indian influence in the papadam and Western influence from the crackling, it was clear that the direction of Red Opium was more Thai-inspired than Thai-authentic. 

 

The next dish was the Petite satay.

While it was decent, it was far from mind blowing.  The chicken bites were tender and the peanut sauce was OK, but in terms of flavors it felt lacking.  Coming from Malaysia I expected the satay to have more flavor.  Something like ginger, turmeric and more spices. 

 

Next came the tom yam soup.

Eating this dish, it was a shame that Red Opium insists that their food is Thai-inspired and not Thai-authentic because it was one heck of a Tom Yam.  The flavors were all spot on.  It had spicy, sour, salty and spicy all in one magic concoction.  Also, it has been awhile since I had prawns which I can really say hit that spot of freshness with a mild sea flavor to it still present.  All seafood here are sourced from Kailis when I spoke to the owner!  To top it off, this for me was definitely a great dish that could have been Thai-authentic. Oh, and if you ask for hot, do prepare to taste some heat.  I bit into a chili and did not feel so manly after.

 

After the three appetizers, we had a great time catching up with Mei on her time onsite and joked about the typical lame rubbish we always do.  Felt good as we do not meet up quite as often as we would like to!  It took nearly 45 minutes for our mains to be served.  But this came with a good explanation as the kitchen was short of 1 chef as he had fallen ill.  In fact, the owner kindly offered us drinks which we all declined to have (except Ness) as we are responsible drivers :P! 

 

First main was the F-duck; Roast duck, red curry, veggies, lychees.

The picture IMHO is a give away.  This was Red Opium’s reinterpretation of the classic Roast Duck red curry.  What flavors does one expect?  Definitely a rich curry with great flavors coming from the fruit, duck and vegetables.  The curry sauce felt nice but in our opinion was way too little to enjoy with the rice.  Then again, it was intentional as the dish wanted to promote the other elements like cherry tomatoes, brussel sprouts and such.  I found that reasoning to be poor in justification as a diner but this is a clear case of design vs practicality.  Like a classic case of engineer vs architects, there is almost no right or wrong but a matter of preference.  Last highlight of this dish was the fact that the roast duck sat nicely there allowing its skin to still be mildly crisp which was quite a treat!

 

Next dish was the Masaman Beef; Slow-cooked beef cheeks, potatoes, masaman curry, peanuts

This for me was a true curry dish.  I have had many variations of the Masaman  as well as the Panang curry and would decline to comment on the flavor as every goddamn version seem to taste different.  But hey, this was tasty and it was everything a curry should be.  For me, the Masaman curry was the highlight with the tender beef and potatoes cooked perfectly.  It was not lacking in sauce or spices and because of this, I had heaps of rice.  A good curry and a generous serve of rice; god this was a meal on its own.  Delicious.

 

As Red Opium revolves about Thai-inspired cuisine, its decoration is not cluttered but felt rather stylish which made its food good to look at and at the same time tasty.  Sure its no dehydrated apple with a golden string through it like Robuchon and neither does it use foam or smoke like Amuse but hey! This was pretty decent!  Taste wise, I did not really put much effort in deciphering the elements but the use of garlic was quite obvious here.

The Kiss of Death; king prawns, garlic, caramelized sauce.

 

The next dish we ordered was the Fisherman’s Catch; deep fried snapper fillets, soya bean oil, peanuts

One the outside, these snapper fillets look exactly like the perfect beer battered fish n’ chips that Heston does.  It was crunchy, crispy and just so beautifully fried.  While not everyone likes batter and some might liken it to the rip-off Chinese sweet and sour pork , I really enjoyed the batter.  The downfall though was the flesh of the fish which was  a little tough a.k.a rubbery with a slight stench too.  My friends and I also found the sweet savory sauce to be insufficient for those generous slices of fish.

 

A dish which came last in the banquet was the Som Tum; paw paw, green beans, dried shrimps, peanuts, soft shell crab.

This again felt good.  It was IMHO Thai-authentic.  Very hard to fault with a minimalistic dish but then again, it is something the chef is expected to do right, and in this instance it was.  My question here really, is it the correct course to arrive before the dessert?  Was this a palate cleanser? It was refreshing but the acidity mixed with the slight sweetness and saltiness make a person feel like eating more.  For me, this should have been served as the first main or even along with the other appetizers.

The dessert that night was ice cream with a choice of jackfruit or mangosteen.

Both came out in little glasses and it was great to see such rare flavors reaching the table despite its out of this world price.  I really liked the flavor and the small bite size mangosteen in the ice cream.  I would question the floss but if it does no harm then I will just let it be.  Around the table most people would have enjoyed the ice cream as no one shows signs of displeasure.

 

Red Opium really felt like a great place for tapas dining. In fact, if an alcohol license is soon obtained,  Red Opium might need a bigger floor space.  However, it play its game risky by calling itself Thai-inspired and not Thai-authentic.  This always brings in the question of whether enough has been done or has it achieved enough to succeed an authentic culture.  Surely Red Opium is no old hag or a lazy slob playing safe as I tasted and saw from my dinner.  Execution was great but to me, it still lacked that final bit of finesse like the lack of sauce, and the freshness of the produce as seen in the case of the fish. However, if one were to find out the background of the owners which hails from the engineering industry, I am pretty chuffed to see how far they have came with their culinary skills.  I work in an engineering firm and I see what people eat everyday….. @@.. I shall cease to comment as it may result in insult.  Anyways, for $50 a head, I would definitely come back!

 

WenY

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