There are certain cultures where hospitality is an art and Thai culture is one of them particularly as far as Arun Thai is concerned. I’m meeting my fabulous travelling companion Alison with whom I recently travelled to Austria with and we’re having lunch at Arun Thai. The location is no coincidence. She and her photographer husband have just completed a cookbook called “Kham’s Sai Mae Nam” with Kham, the effusive and generous owner of Arun Thai. I have always enjoyed dining here as one of my oldest friends lives literally doors away and we have many happy memories of meals here but it has been a while between visits. This is not cheap, casual Thai food. It is a little more at the upper end but the room reflects it.
Young Coconut drink
Entree selection: Lamb skewer, Goong hom sabai (prawn in crispy pastry) and Mieng Klum betel leaves
Alison and I are too busy chatting and catching up so Kham who is a long time friend of hers, brings out an entree selection.The lamb skewer is perfection. It looks very dark so one could be excused for thinking that it may be overcooked or burnt but it is tender and incredibly flavoursome with the flavour reaching every part of the meat. The prawn in crispy pastry is nice and crunchy and the mieng klum betel leaf filled with a tangy, crunchy mix of peanut, lime, ginger, dried shrimps, chilli, toasted coconut.
Gaeng phed pet yang Duck Curry roasted duck cooked in mild curry with cherry tomatoes and fresh pineapple chunks
As a duck fiend,the duck curry with cherry tomatoes and fresh pineapple pieces is like a spoonful of heaven. I adore the sauce for this which is so rich and flavoursome that I ask for several servings of rice so that I can have more of this sauce.
Tod katium prik Thai goong
The pan fried butterflied king prawns with garlic and pepper are lovely and fresh with strong flavours and it is served with crunchy green beans.
Yum hau pee banana flower salad
I always order banana flower salad whenever I see it on a menu as it’s one of my favourite salads with the crunchy banana flower and herbs (I think it’s rather healthy too which is a bonus). This version is mixed with chicken, king prawns, cashew nuts, chilli and lime juice and it’s tangy and gorgeously fresh. I confess to Alison that I don’t think I’ve ever seen what an actual banana flower looks like so she asks Kham who happily obliges and brings us a banana flower.
Kham showing us a banana flower
He tells us that only sugar banana flowers should be used as the other varieties are too bitter. They also need to be used quickly as the flowers get old and browning starts from the base. Once cut it needs to have some sort of acid to stop it going brown.
Browning on the base of the sugar flower
Gaeng garee phetkae lamb shank
Lamb Shanks are perhaps not a native Thai ingredient but after my first bite of this, I’m really convinced they could be. The softer than soft lamb shank that eases off the bone with the slightest nudge of a fork is cooked in yellow curry, coconut milk and potato. It’s gorgeously rich and this is another dish that just begs for more rice to transport the sauce.
We can’t fit it in any more so Kham offers to pack up our goodies which I am rather chuffed about as I would have hated for it to go to waste. Alison tells me of Kham’s incredible palate which means that he has one of the best stocked wine storerooms particularly for a Thai restaurant. He is characteristically modest and says that as his clientele is made up of many judges, QCs and lawyers, they require a good wine list. They’ve also found that certain wines suit Thai food better and that cool climate wines with a moderate acidity suit Thai food and even some red wines get a look in. I even get a peek into the cellars which are enormous and span over a large fridge, a large room and then some. Kham’s wonderfully generous nature comes into play and when he hears that I like dessert wine he gives me four bottles!
Kham and other top Sydney chefs including Neil Perry and Tetsuya Wakuda
And who should walk in as we are getting ready to leave but Saucy Onion blogger and presenter Indira Naidoo who has just arrived back from a trip to America. It’s a treat meeting her and her husband and she’s as friendly and lovely as she is on television.
Dear Readers, thanks to True Blue Cockatoo,we have four copies of Kham’s new cookbook called “Kham’s Sai Mae Nam”. It’s filled with his delicious recipes from classic Thai dishes chicken larb gai salad, mee grob noodles and betel leaf wraps but it has plenty of recipes beyond the usual Thai cuisine. There are recipes for making your own Thai sausages, a fascinating looking straw baked free range chicken dish, salt and pepper pandan crab and crying tiger salad using Wagyu beef. He also gives us a glimpse of his influences at the beginning of each chapter.
So for a chance to win 1 of 4 copies just tell me in 50 words (or less!) what you like most about the tastes of Thai food! The giveaway ends midnight February 20th 2010 AEST. Enter as a comment on this story and this prize can be sent to Australian addresses only. You can enter once daily as long as the answer is an original one.
If you can’t wait, stockists are listed on the True Blue Cockatoo website.
Arun Thai
28 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9326 9135
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113 Comments | Add your own
Wow…all the dishes look delicious! I don’t get to eat Thai as often as I like, but when I do I can’t pass up anything with fresh perppercorns or any form of stuffed prawn/coconut prawns. I also confess to loving the (often) complimetary prwan crackers!
This sounds like a really lovely book, Lorraine. I love reading about other cultures, especially when food is involved!
I’ve never had banana flowers, but I’ll be on the lookout next time I’m in a Thai restaurant.
I love the way Thai food bursts with so many layers of flavour, so that every bite has elements of hot, tangy, spicy, and sweet, and subsequently never gets boring or repetitive!
Thai food!
It’s the combination of fragrances and the myriad mix of tastes that can be present in one dish….heavenly!
Thai food to me is FRESH flavours. It’s the sweet, salty, sour & spicy cooked with wonderful ingredients like chicken, prawns etc and herbs .. coriander,mint – just a magical combination !!!
The lamb shank in your story looks just wonderful!
Mmmm.. what a yummy post! Will definitely put Arun Thai on the must-do list for our next visit to Sydney.
I had some great Thai for lunch yesterday in Richmond, Melbourne, by the way. I went to bed thinking about it, woke up thinking about it, and now your post has made me ravenously hungry:)
I love the way the combinations of flavours in Thai food make so much sense yet are an exquisite surprise every time. I love how the spicy sweet salad juices soak into the sticky rice, or the fluffy jasmine rice soaks up a delicately yet powerfully spiced curry.
I wonder at the majesty and subtlety of it all, and it rather humbles me, in such a wonderfully delicious way!
Beautiful review, NQN! I do love Thai food. We had it last night, only because we were passing a favorite Thai restaurant (and notwithstanding the fact that we had JUST eaten dinner!).
superb tastes + exquisite colours + exciting textures + subtle aromas + visual delights!!! Add the extra dimension of time to enjoy such exquisite food.
No other cuisine combines such a range of ingredients with herbs and spices like Thai. Perfect balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty makes it a favourite at our house.
I love Thai food, and love reading cookbooks. One Thai cookbook I had had lots of pictures of the country, and included recipes of that region, but these hols my hubby initiated a de-cluttering of the house, and he didn’t realise that even if my cookbooks are not in my kitchen cupboard, I still “need” them. Alas, someone else will be enjoying this one, and many others that went the same way. Now he knows, I’m SURE it won’t happen again. Kham’s Sai Mae Nam sounds like a good second “start” to my collection
Food looks great, I haven’t eat Thai for ages as I’ve not discovered a good Thai restaurant in my current neck of the woods.
Yum! I love Thai food and duck curry =D
I love banana flowers but I don’t know how to prepare and cook them! The lamb shanks look utterly magnificent!!! And i’m not even a lamb fan…!
I do love this part of town.
The dishes you had look amazing, especially the banana flower salad, prawns and lamb shank.
One more restaurant to add to my wishlist!
i love any tangy food so the chicken salad is a must order if they have it on the menu, i also have a soft spot for skewers… the lamb skewers look wonderful, i want to try them too….
I must confess that the first time I tried Thai cuisine I was less than impressed. However, I persevered and now the wonderfully fresh and tangy flavours of Thai food have become my favourites!
I’m a Crispy Pork Belly with Thai Holy Basil addicted, i love the crunchiness of the pork combined with the freshness of the basil and the hot chilis…this is just one of my favorite thai dishes, and I will need a good thai book when I’ll leave Sydney and won’t be able to have such amazing thai food in Europe!
Thai food is definitely one of those cuisines that you could never tire of. There are so many fresh delicious ingredients used in the tasty dishes. Definitely well suited to the Australian lifestyle.
Oh my god. That lamb shank looks so fabulous I almost had to lick my screen.
I have never heard of nor tasted a banana flower salad, but it sounds wonderful and fanciful.
Ancient and exotic is Thai food, a unique style of cooking with the different sensations of heat, sweet and sour brought together by the chef to tantalise my tastebuds. Bring it on NQN and “Kham’s Sai Mae Nam”, so I can create the Thai cuisine’s fullness and flavours.
I am a huge fan of the restaurant and love how visually I am seduced by the cuisine and then once tasted, the food has a depth and unveils an evolving complexity that is a true delight to the senses.
I love Thai food because it has alot of flavour and it’s never boring. Just wish I knew how to cook it
Your review has me drooling!
For me, Thai food holds it’s appeal in the blend of sweet, spicy & tangy flavours. I love how it always tastes so fresh & never gives you the stodgy feeling of some other Asian cuisines.
That lamb shank is a work of art. And what a generous host! Truly a meal — and post — worth savoring.
WOW.. I had no idea what a banana flower looked like. And this is by far the most eloquently displayed Thai food I’ve seen… I miss living in Cali because I could get Thai carryout so easily…
I love the freshness of Thai food; with the aromatics of lemon grass, kaffir lime leaf,sweet basil leaf the tangyness ( is there such a word?) of lime and tomatoes and the fresh crunch of the salads. I like how it’s a treat for the senses, how’s it’s presented, the aroma of the food, the contrasting textures and the combination of flavours.
I love the crisp, clear flavours of Thai food which enliven the most simple foods and turn them into something special. I also enjoy how Thai food incorporates somewhat unusual ingredients (eg banana flowers!) and turns them into edible delights to tantalise the tastebuds.
Oh yum. They all look so delicious. Am intrigued by the Lamb Shanks in Yellow Curry
I’ll have to go try it! I had an Indian Version which was Lamb Shanks Punjab style.
I love the flavours that burst into fruition with each and every mouthful of the Thai food, truly Thai food is a gift from God.
the food looks good here! what I like the most about thai food is the fresh flavours and call me crazy but i really, really love the chilli that goes into the dishes!
Thai ingredients take the palate to a different level. Every ingredient is used to its fullest potential- eg coriander leaves for garnish, roots for pastes stems finely chopped and added for texture, seeds dried for sweeter,pungent flavour.The possibilities are endless.
Red Duck curry with pineapple – why?
Always shared this with my very culinarily brave Grandma when we lunched like ladies….
I loved Thailand and Thai food and loved sharing it with my Grandma.
I love the way that Thai food balances the sweet with the salty, the sour and the hot. Every part of your tongue dances when it is done well. Thai food gives us powerful flavours, tempered with a delicate touch and gorgeous ingredients.
I love the presentation of the coconut milk in the sauce around the shank! The duck curry sauce looks so think and velvety, I’m big fan of duck too!
I love the way Thai teases your tastebuds with its combination of sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavours, and its complimentary textures from fresh crunchy salads to melt in your mouth tender curries!
Thai food is beautiful, it has such complex flavours and contrasting flavours, it can make your tongue dance but it can also be a very simple chicken soup for breakfast. My favoured taste of Thailand would be Sour Curry with Snake Head fish at Leks Seafood in Bankgkok, or BBQ Chicken in Isaan or……they are all simply beautiful
Thai food has always intrigued me because it incorporates so many different tastes such as , sweet, sour, salty, acidic ( limes) and so forth, creating a marriage of flavours that taste divine. Arun’s book looks great, winning it would give me the upper edge to vastly improve my Thai cooking. Both my daughters love Thai food and we three could have a ball recreating the recipes
oh gosh, thai food is my favourite cuisine EVER. I love masaman curry and pad see ew and… well I could go on!
I like that the Thai dishes taste as good as what they look and they look terrific and so of course, they taste terrific too.
I love Arun Thai! One of my favourite Thai restaurants when we used to live in Potts Point, long with Opium Den on MacLeay St. And owner Pham is so nice, with such an incredible knowledge of wine as well… I love Thai cuisine because it offers an incredibly rich palette of flavours and spice combinations, a variety of main ingredients to choose from (seafood, beef, poultry, etc), and is usually very beautiful visually.
Oh yum, this all looks (and sounds!) so good! Will definitely be hitting this place up soon.
Hi Lorraine, Goat/Lambshank IS part of the Thai repertoire; especially so in the more Muslim part of Southern Thailand. Although it is true that Thai cuisine seeks to balance the sweet, sour, salty and spicy; that in itself defines the Thai cuisine found largely in the Bangkok/Ayuthia region. The Isaan region (north) favours flavours like smoked fish being incorporated into the mix, and the south relies more on coconut milk/cream for a richer curry than the other regions. That’s generally speaking, of course, as the regions’ flavours do ‘cross border’, as such. Thai food is also influenced by centuries of settlers from China and also its Malay neighbour to the south, as well as the Indo-Chinese countries to its north, east and west. Ok, lecture over. I think we are very fortunate here in Sydney as we seem to have a very good representation of most of the regions’ take on Thai cuisine, including David Thompson’s amazing offerings from the Royal Archives of Thailand (before he upped and went to Blighty anyway!). Gobsmack’d
I love the fusion of different flavours you get with Thai food, the sweet, appetising tastes leading you back for more, a real addictive taste, yet you also get that hit of spice that hits your throat in some dishes 2 mins after the fact when you think you’re ok with the chilli don’t know what I was worried about.
I love the huge range of flavours in Thai dishes, usually in the one meal! I’ve never tried Thai cooking because it seems so complicated and I never have that many herb and spice ingredients in the house!
I don’t often get to eat Thai. Here in France it is Vietnamese more than other Asian cuisines. I love all of them though, the fresh ingredients, the wonderful blend of exotic flavors, and the rituals behind the meal.
The combination of flavours in one dish, I like that the food can be shared with loved ones (also get to try more dishes!) Most of all in every Thai restaurant I’ve been to the staff are so welcoming and gracious, it makes the meal more enjoyable
For me it is the use of fresh produce, amazing spices, balance of flavours, cooked with a flourish of heat and frenzy that makes it such great value. Thai foods reminds me of getting friends together over great food and wine and I have had the best dining experiences with Thai food.
The thing I like most about Thai food is how coconut milk and cream is used in the sauces! I love coconut so it’s an easy choice for me. This is probably why a few of my friends are not so keen on Thai food.
gosh, i’ve actually walked past arun thai several times in the years past, wondering how it was..love ur pics..i love thai food for its exquisite spices and tantalizing taste, both sour and spicy, sweet yet delightful. An explosion of miraculous flavours which invigorate the tastebuds:)
Never boring, always suprising and with some unusual combinations that change in taste as they roll across your tongue… I think I’m going to have to go to our local Thai place for lunch, now!
What I like most today is… the liberal use of chili. Love spicy foods!
Some of my favourite food moments have been with Thai food. My favourite dish is Mee Krob. I love the mix of sweet and sour, the freshness and of course the beautiful presentation of Thai cooks/chefs. My mouth is watering from your photo shoot above. Inspiring stuff!
Tasting thai food is tasting their culture from ancient to modern society. Variety of ingredients in a dish of thai food creates a unique combination of flavours. Mouth watering, never be bland, thai food is the harmony of taste and texture in each dish. thai food for dinner tonight!!!
I love the spices and how it leaves a colourful stain on my braces.
I love the fresh flavours of thai food. Previously I was an extremely fussy eater, but lately I’ve branched out into trying to flavours and cuisines. Thai food is DELICIOUS! It’s as simple as that.
Our family treasures Thai food not just for the exquisite dishes but the endowment of a gracious, refined yet casual dining experience that reflects the culture of it’s origin. The kids DEMAND it as their birthday dining option.
The sensuality of Thai food, with its breadth of flavours, riot of colours and textures! Refreshing foods that zing hot and sour on the tastebuds, and crunch unexpectedly. The bounce of a fish cake. Unctuous, creamy coconut that silkily fills the mouth. And always the fragrant purity of bowl of rice.
Thai food’s smell and aroma make my mouth drool.
The subtle flavours that are achieved with many and varied ingredients
Like a trip to Bangkok.
It’s culinary secrets unlock.
Like eating on the streets.
And trying local treats.
All sizzling in a hot wok.
Thai food is truly the master of balancing flavour combinations and turning them into exquisite dishes that tingle all the senses and freshen the soul.
What do i love about Thai food? It burns on the way in, and burns on the way out.
I have a burining passion for spicy food and Thai has never let my tongue down.
Gastranomically Satis’Thai’ed
Oooooooooh the aroma,
Ahhhhhhhhhh the presentation,
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm the taste.
Thai food is light and fresh and matches the semi sweet bubbly I like best.
It creates a sensorial exploration of aromatic flavours,exotic spices and textures from a cuisine shaped over many generations.
What I love most about the taste of Thai food is that it’s like A PARTY GOING OFF INSIDE YOUR MOUTH!
Sweet, Spicy, Salty, Sour, Exciting, Explosive, Sexy, Vibrant, Luscious, Daring, Seductive, SENSATIONAL
if I could only eat one cuisine for the rest of my life, I would choose Thai. It has everything from fresh herby salads to rich hearty curries. What more could you possibly want?… More chances to eat it!
‘Satay’sfaction’s always guaranteed!
With ‘Thai’ed and Tested recipes, it’s a ‘Thai’rrific culinary delight that awaits
the chefs’ passion and love of creating Thai dishes is always evident in each delicious mouthful.
~~Seventh Heaven~~
One, two, with delicious ingredients and flavours. Thai food tastes amazing!!
Three, Four, from Hot & Spicy to Sweet & Sour.
Five Six, add a part of each into the mix.
Seven – and in the end, that’s why Thai food feels like HEAVEN.
With Thai food I’m an armchair traveller transported with every bite into a culture of culinary delights.
T_antalising, flavoursome, aromatic spice,
H_ot or mild, with tasty noodles or rice,
A_sia’s finest, tastiest cuisine,
I_nspiring colours – red, yellow & green.
F_or flavour Thai just can’t be beat,
O_odles of veggies, herbs & meat,
O_utstanding combinations to
impress,
D_on’t settle for anything less!
The infusion of spices,the textures,the colours and the aromas take the senses on an exotic journey!
Strangely enough Thai food reminds me of goods times with friends in Balmain Sydney. They have the best Thai food there and friendly service.
I love the lightness of the sauces and the complexity of the flavours, I recently made an asia coleslaw to go with 5 spice and honey chicken and my husband ate it all up commenting it was the best he had eaten.
Subtle notes, complex flavours, zinging flavour and eat-me-now colours are what I love about Thai food! a perfect representation of a lovely smiling people.
There was was this girl from Australia who looked up ‘Not Quite Nigella’.
Since perusing this site,
We’ve dined Thai every night,
Not one dish has yet been a failure!
It is a cuisine developed over the course of many generations and combines an exotic blend of herbs and spices along with fresh lightly cooked foods that are a delight to the senses!
chilli, garlic, lemongrass, ginger,galangal, kaffia leaf, basil, spicy thai basil, onion,shallots,coriander,shrimppaste, bok choy, mirin, oyster sauce, calamari, coconut, bamboo shoots, beansprouts, chicken, fish sauce, tamarind, cloves, cinamon, cummin, cardamon,beef, hoy sin sauce, mushrooms, egg plant(thai pea size ones yum), pork, prawns/shrimp,soy sauce……
I love the way the food reflects the cultural history of Thailand, with elaborate, complex Royal cuisine, simple, delcious street food, etc.
We recently did a Thai cooking course at Spirit House. It’s ignited our passion for thai food and a true appreciation for a cuisine which can deliver heat, sweetness, sourness, saltiness and even bitterness in one dish alone! We’d love a copy of this book to pursue our passion!
Fresh flavours, ingredients can be readily sourced….fragrant and delicious.
AAAARRRGGGGHHHH I want this book, I cannot cook, but love thai,
Thai cuisine is
…. the crème de le crème,
…. the best of the best,
of both presentation and flavour.
It treats the diner as royalty.
It makes me feel like a treasured princess.
I love the freshness of Thai food – but especially their use of fruit in meat dishes – a totally different dimension than any other curries! Not to mention the Thai people elevate food prep to an art form with their incredible knife skills.
My children will try any thing new if it is served to them in a restuarant but I have never been able to replicate the “true” flavours when the same dish is requested at home. It’s such a fresh blend and looking at the pictures my children will think they are ordering in a restuarant.
I love the aromas and the fragrances of Thai food, Koh San Road just left us speechless with the different flavours and textures.
Leaving tingling lips and a tingling tongue…Thai food almost reminds me of my very first kiss
it was very impressive!
Hot Chilli, refreshing lime always makes good thai dish time.
What I love about Thai food is it’s just like the Thai people. Lively, exciting, vibrant, refreshing, generous, fascinating, colourful and enTHAIsing. Everything about Thai food, Thailand and Thais, is THAIrrific!!!!
Tongue tingling, mouthwatering Thai dishes are always one of my wishes.
Thai is truly one of the world’s great cuisines. Aromatic ingredients perfectly balanced and prepared with a lightness of touch, Thai food is so exquisitely fresh and full flavoured.
Cooking Thai food is like telling a story, with Taste always playing the key role. To create a truly magnificent Tom Yum soup for instance requires the perfect balance of ingredients of a story – Sourness (lemongrass), Sweetness (corn), Bitterness (mint) and Spiciness (chilli). Simmering it to perfection, you’ll have poetry.
I love it, I love it,
I love it a lot.
It’s flavour it’s texture,
I love all it’s got.
I want it, I want it,
I want it the most.
All other food,
Is often just gross!
The Thai 23rd Psalm
Thai food is my heaven,
I crave no other.
It leadeth me to exotic flavours,
It restoreth my palate.
Yea though I live in a world of bland I fear not.
For thou art with me in
sweetness and in spice.
Ahmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmen!
Light enough to not bloat you, yet filling enough to satisfy you, Thai is my FAVOURITE cuisine. My friend who can handle any amount of heat in his food and always asks for more chilli is happy and my sister, who can’t handle any spice or heat can enjoy a pad thai without complaining ( a feat in itself).
Fresh and spicy, does me nicely.
Australian grub, best left in the pub.
Great for lent and time well spent.
Pick me for exotic in a life that’s so chaotic.
Thai dishes place emphasis on lightly-prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and is known for having balance, detail and variety!
I love cooking Thai Food as the recipes use fresh ingredients that are cooked to complement each other. The food is lightly cooked to retain nutritional qualities of the vegetables. The sauces are light, exotic and full of flavour without over processing the food.
A meal, must be one that will accompany my husbands’ love of a frosty brew.
The perfect balance of Thai cuisine ticks this box, and I have a repertoire of about 20 dishes. Our mini Thai banquets transport us to a little houseboat floating down a river, somewhere in Thailand!
Thai food emcompasses so many wonderful flavours and aromas. It makes me hungry just thinking about a green curry…
The smell that lingers while you wait for your meal!
My first Thai food experience was only 6 years ago on a romantic date. The flavor and aroma of coconut through my rice and the delicious nuts in my meat dishes delighted my eyes and tantalized my palate. Thai fan for life.
The symphony of flavours that explodes, the tantalizing aromas, the freshness and visual delights are all part of the experience when dining on Thai Food. It is a culinary extravaganza that one can enjoy repeatedly………
Whether you want to take that someone special for a romantic evening before a show or enjoy the company of friends & family, Thai food exquisitely satisfys all.
What I like the most is the amazing number of different styles you can make of Thai food. So yummy
Interesting.
This place is literally around the corner from where I live, but I’ve always gone to The Opium Den (just up the road a little further) instead.
Will have to check it out sometime.
The sweet, salty, sour and fiery chilli flavours are what draw me to that amazing flavour destination called Thai cuisine…
Beautiful book well presented receipes would love to own a copy.
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