“I want to order the betel leaves, the quail’s eggs and let’s see the wagyu, the fish and the pork belly and let’s also get the whole snapper too” I declare to Mr NQN.
“Is that all? I think you left off one dish” Mr NQN says raising an eyebrow.
“Well we’ll order that too” I say, purposely ignoring his sarcasm. “Have we only just met honey? You know I always want to order everything!”
When one turns up inadvertently early to a restaurant one has little choice but to take a good look at the menu and tick off the menu choices that they want in the hopes that their dining companions want to do the same. We were in luck, Louise and Viggo having dined here before have already honed in on the same things and because of this ordering is done without fuss and within minutes. Tapioca is the newest Thai restaurant in the Cremorne stretch of Military Road. With chefs from Sailors Thai it has become a fast, solid favourite with locals.
Deep fried quail egg and minced prawns wrapped in egg noodle served with tamarind sauce (3 pcs) $14
The deep fried quail’s eggs come out halved so you get six pieces in total although the menu says that there are three pieces. They’re coated in a prawn mince and then rolled in crunchy egg noodles and served with a sweet tamarind sauce which gives it a sweet and sour aspect. They’re addictive with the crunchiness and sweetness and the prawn mince is juicy and packed full of herbs and flavour.
Smoked trout, roasted coconut, peanuts, chilli, lime, ginger and caramel sauce served on betel leaves (4 pcs) (v) $18
The betel leaves are a favourite of practically every one that has visited here. And we can see why. They come out topped with roasted coconut, peanuts and large flakes of smoked trout. On top is a sweet chilli, lime and ginger sauce which runs down hands when you pick up the betel leaves but it’s so lovely and crunchy and zings with flavour that you simply lick your hand clean.
Crispy wafer stuffed with prawn, turmeric, coconut and kaffir lime leaves (4 pcs) $16
The crispy wafers are filled with prawns, turmeric, coconut and kaffir lime leaves and have a fresh quality to them along with a crispy thin wafer and are terrifically moreish if somewhat messy to eat.
Crispy pork belly in a sweet and sour spicy sauce $25
After the high of the entrees the mains aren’t quite in the same league. The pork belly is very sweet and quite dry – Louise does remark that this is drier and more cooked than when they last had this. The flavour is there, it’s just the pork belly pieces being overcooked.
Deep fried whole snapper with three flavour sauce $29.50
The deep fried snapper, suspended in animation and I should add looking rather furious is served with a three flavour sauce which is sweet and tangy and reminds us of a sweet and sour sauce. The fish is a little dry but the pieces with the thicker flesh are the pick.
Green curry of wagyu beef and fresh thai basil served with roti $28
The green curry with wagyu beef is served in a fondue pot to keep it warm. It is flavoured with Thai basil and features halved Thai eggplants and chillies and large chunks of tender wagyu. It’s not as rich as we’ve had it and the coconut milk splits in the curry rather than being emulsified and creamy, perhaps from being continued to cook over the fondue heat.
Sticky rice with caramelised coconut, Tapioca pudding with young coconut and coconut cream, strawberry and lime sorbet with berry compote $12
The dessert platter was an extremely well priced three parter and if we thought that the mains were sweet they’ve got nothing on the desserts. My favourite was the tapioca pudding which were served with lashings of coconut cream. The strawberry and lime sorbet was simply just too sweet.
Well we’d be telling the truth that it was a sweet ending and indeed it was with the desserts. There was a lot of sweetness in the food, more than what I’ve had at Thai restaurants and of the three courses, the entrees really impressed the most.
So tell me Dear Reader, does it often take you a long time to decide what to order or do you know what you want quickly? And do you research a restaurant beforehand?
Tapioca
318a Military Road Cremorne, NSW
Tel: + 61 (02) 9908 1588
http://www.tapioca.net.au/
Open: Tuesday – Saturday 6.00 – 10.00 pm.
Sunday 6.00 – 9.30 pm.
Monday Closed
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50 Comments | Add your own
You know, the name of the restaurant is misleading, until you look at their wonderful menu.
So many dishes I’d love to try.
But I think I’d rather have you order for me
Looks like they got this other way round, starting on a high instead of ending on a high. At least it ended on a very “sweet note”! I like to research a restaurant beforehand so I know what to order, otherwise it can be quite a lengthy decision making process!
The desserts sounds fantastic, as do the entrees! And I think snapper always looks cranky..
Lol at the “furious” fish! I love that they served it “swimming” on the plate! I wouldn’t have liked one sweet dish after another either and will usually skip dessert in favour of more entrees.
This makes me smile…
I research every single restaurant before I go, negotiate for hours with my dining companions about who is ordering what and with what wines..
We really do have a lot in common, Ms. Not Quite, between the Agent Cooper thing and the restaurant ordering thing, if you weren’t twenty years younger and waayyyy cuter, I’d swear we were twins separated at birth!
xxoo,
RMW
Wow, i love the presentation and they are classic dishes just done so beautifully with quality ingredients.
It depends on who I’m with. Sometimes I’m too busy chatting to look at the menu … And if I’m going somewhere new I definitely do research before-hand, often coming to blogs like yours to make sure the restaurant will be worth it.
That looks fantastic! I used to live on Military Road in Cremorne – they had some pretty great restaurants back then too.
I always love it when you review restaurants on the Northside! And this looks like a particularly good one.
I am usually quite indecisive when I go to a restaurant. I want everything on the menu! It’s hard to narrow it down I must say.
Mmmmm. Your photos are just delectable!I can’t wait to move back to Sydney to try some of the places you’ve recently posted on. The SO takes forever and a day to decide what he wants so, comparatively, I’m fairly quick at making my mind up. Always research before I go. It’s the paranoid control-freak in me. Thanks again, Lorraine!
Love the first shot with all the lights, Lorraine, it’s very pretty. Been meaning to eat here for ages just never enough time, can’t wait to try the quail eggs they look fantastic.
THE FIRST 3 DISHES AND THE DESSERTS LOOK – amazing YUM YUM SOMETHING VERY NEW- I LIKE IT
It’s a Thai scotch egg!!! Can’t go wrong with drispy pork belly…
If a restaurant has their menu online I will normally study it and know what I want to order before I arrive. The only thing that might throw me off is if they have specials on the night!
Wow… everything looks soo super delicious to me
especially the deep fried quail eggs…slurps… I’ve always researched what are the most popular dishes before we try a restaurant and my husband have no say in what to order, because just like you, I will always be ready to order all the food that I think we should try hehehehe…
I find ordering in restaurants to be agonising, quite often. I’m frequently torn about what to order and worry that I’ll miss out on something – fortunately The Husband is always prepared to share.
Other then the way the snapper is staring at me, everything looks fabulous!
Oh my! Those appetisers look fantastic… especially the smoked trout on betel leaves!! Just the thought of it makes my mouth water!!!
I am a last minute decision. I eye off maybe 3 meals, when the waiter comes ask them what they Recommend if its one of my 3 get it if its something I didn’t pick I quickly reassess. But usual go with what’s recommend.
Yum, yum, yum!
I think hubby would love this place, he has a birthday coming up in September, might just surprise him. Those sweets,mmmmmmmmmmmmm!
You do such a great job reviewing restaurants and enlightening us on just what’s out there!
I have my very own restaurant researcher, namely you Lorraine
When I peruse a menu I like to have a good read and nearly always choose something that I’ve not tried, have been wanting to try or that I personally have never cooked. For me, it’s more than just a meal, it’s a journey, a story, a complete experience!
Well, for once, the desserts somehow appealed most
! The tapioca pudding was really calling out to me!! Beautiful photography as usual – was just reading on fb yesterday that a wellknown Melbourne restaurateur is planning to forbid food photography at his place! I am totally against this [with just about e'one else saying the same!] – when I think of all the fun and knowledge you alone have brought us via the photos 
! As far as making up my mind: usually very quickly done – I have a habit at looking what is new and interesting and adding to old favourites and true. . .
Shame about the overcooked pork belly, as mine was so superb last time! I agree though the entrees are in general better than the mains.
I can honestly say I’d eat all of those dishes, in a row, completely. They just flow so well after one another.
Oh and I made the RSPCA cupcakes recipe yesterday, the flavour is extraordinary, it really packs a Mandarin punch which I love but I found the cupcakes to be heavy and dense, is this how they’re supposed to be and would using SR flour overcome this?
Hi Matilda- yes they are quite dense cupcakes. I think using SR flour could definitely help make it fluffier
Lol I totally do my research beforehand and also pick what Stud and I will have
such a shame that after the entrees it went a little downhill. Those entrees do look amazing though and you have settles a betel leaf argument for me haha
I’ve recently started asking the waiter what the best meal is and letting them decide. I find it so hard to choose when everything sounds good.
lorraine, I don’t know how you always manage to order the most amazing dishes! I am so indecisive when I eat out, I love trying new things but they always turn out dismal, so i’ve been playing it safe for a while and ordering the same thing every time, which is no fun at all! Now, I just do a LOT of online research before I go to a particular restaurant!
Military Rd rings a bell (even though I’m from Victoria) because we stayed at a B&B in Cremorne Point once. By gosh, some lovely houses with lovely water views in that neck of the woods. We spotted a family playing croquet on their waterfront lawn on Christmas day.
Of course you’re a woman after my own heart wanting to order everything off the menu. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a dish with ‘betel leaves’ before so it’s something to keep an eye out for. I’m still trying to find pandan leaves that aren’t mouldy (at Asian grocers)..and failing that, proper extract.
Re: the overall sweetness of everything you ate.. I don’t really like that and I do get what you mean. You need balance of flavours. Always trying to achieve that as a home cook too.
Re: Restaurants & choices.. I always research a restaurant beforehand whenever I can. I think we’ve agreed before that being able to look at a menu ONLINE and tentatively pick what you like at home, is the best way to go
It’s one of my fav’ things to do. I can get my knickers in a knot if a restaurant stubbornly appears like they couldn’t care less about their lack of online presence!
I’m also always last to order at the table and my family try to conceal their impatience when I say “A few more minutes” for the third time.
Oooh, does sound like everything was a tad on the sweet side. I thought only Asian restaurants in America tended to do that since they know how Americans love their sugary sodas. I must say, though, those betel leaves do look like they made up for everything else.
I love the look of the smoked trout on the batel leaves with the coconut. They look like sweet truffles.
It depends. Sometimes after a quick glance at a menu I will immediately know what I want and then at other times I can be extremely indecisive. Yes must research restaurants before hand, very anal with that. Of course your blog is very helpful in that regard!
I think my perfect meal here would be the three entrees and then the three desserts
Oh, who am I kidding, that’s almost always how I feel 
Ciao
A.
The entrees look and sound fantastic, but I’m suprised the mains are so sweet, normally that’s a problem I find at Chinese Restaurants, not Thai food. If it’s new hopefully it’s just teething problems.
I take aaaaages over a menu, and love to check it out online first if I can, but I have such a hard time going past pork belly at any time, on any menu, yummm…
I usually let my tummy decide what to order as I’ll usually be craving something in particular
These are amazing dishes!everything looks soo super delicious to me
especially the deep fried quail eggs…slurps
I will research a restaurant upside down and inside out because each time I have a disappointing meal, I just wanna kill someone. Like serious.
Hi Lorraine, yes I like to research first if I have time. I make up my mind really quickly on what to order where as my husband tends to take forever! I am forever telling him to hurry as I am usually starving
I love looking up a menu & thinking over the choices before going to a new restaurant. Gives me more time to savour the anticipation
The last Thai I ate out was really sweet too, seemed quite odd to me, I never had food like that in Thailand.
haha, like you I want to order everything on the menu and see for myself whether I’ll like it or not rather than rely on someone else’s opinion but yeah, it does mean I get to eat a lot of leftovers!
Everything on this menu looks to die for
What wonderful looking food! The deep fried quail eggs look delicious. I am planning a trip to Australia and I’m certainly looking forward to the fabulous restaurants. GG
A nice meal, love the idea of those deep fried quail egg and prawns.
stick rice with caramelised coconut!
my favourite.
they do a good version of that at muum maam. (you know the one, if i’ve spelt it wrong).
so good.
wah i’m hungry now.
*sticky
and how do you guys eat all that, seriously?
my bf makes me order only what i can eat with my stomach and not my eyes. woe!
yay! love it when you review places over this side! add this one to the list as I love thai!
corrie:)
Ooh yes please, more North Shore reviews!
I know that a lot of suburban thai places are a bit ubiquitous, but Papaya in Cammeray is truly wonderful.
Went last night and yes sauces far too sweet, not the right balance and my dumplings had a filling that was strangely smoky cos I think they burnt it before they encased in outer layer. The betel leaves with trout was a standout. More care with the sauces & it will fill an upmarket void in this area. Roz
What inspired food! Especially the deep-fried quail eggs…mmmm….
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