“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

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There’s a well known  quote from the Australian film “The Castle” that Mr NQN and I occasionally like to say to each other. It’s about bargains.

Darryl Kerrigan (father): Jousting sticks? What’s he want for ‘em?

Steve Kerrigan (son): Make us an offer. Give him a call?

Darryl Kerrigan: Yeah.

Steve Kerrigan: Dad? 450.

Darryl Kerrigan: For jousting sticks? Tell him he’s dreamin’!

And when we find out that that seafood curries are a tiny $14 at this little unassuming Thai restaurant in Marrickville we find ourselves crowing “13 bucks for a seafood curry? Tell him he’s dreamin’!”

Outside it looks like any other suburban Thai restaurant. A neon “open” sign flashes outside and there’s a large plasma television screen stuck to the back wall. A high chair sits at a large table and there is a  family dining in the corner. It could be just like any Thai restaurant except that the chef behind it is from Spice I am Polawat Danphasukul and his wife Phanissa Sricharoen is the sweet, smiling face on the floor. We take a look at the menu-legend has it that a seafood curry can be had for $13.90 and we’re excited. I realise that my Cheap Thrills $20 and under category hasn’t had many entries lately- I started it 2.5 years ago when it was actually possible to get a meal under $20 per person but these days it seems like it’s getting rarer and rarer. I had read about it Tina’s blog Food. Booze & Shoes knowing that Mr NQN would love it.

Curry puffs 4 for $5.90

We start with the curry puffs which are filled with potatoes and spices and a firm, crunchy pastry. I personally prefer the deep fried puff pastry (deep frying puff pastry has got to be some sort of genius move) and these are harder and a touch drier.

Lemongrass salad $10.90

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Or I could subtitle this story as “Mr NQN’s favourite restaurant meal” such was his adoration for the food served to us this day.

” Look, he’s actually cooking here!” I grab Mr NQN’s arm when I see the familiar curly grey flecked hair of New Zealand export to London Peter Gordon. I mean I knew this was one of his lunches but he was well and truly cooking in the kitchen and not just here in name only. I had seen Peter speak at the World Chef Showcase only the day before and he had told us of his upbringing involving plastic corks and a pet lamb which they ate. It was a very much Hunter Gatherer lifestyle typical of NZ at the time. He recalls the first time he had an avocado and the pleasure they had eating it.

Martin Boetz from Longrain

Peter Gordon

I have a quick chat to Peter before he gets started and he talks about the restaurant scene in London. I ask if the GFC has hit his restaurants, The Providores and Tapa Room and he says that it hasn’t much at all, they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week and on the ground floor there’s the Tapa Room (named after the large traditional Rarotongan Tapa cloth made from block printed and hand beaten paper mulberry bark on the wall) and on the 1st floor there’s The Providores restaurant. Even since the GFC, in a city as badly hit as London, they’re busier than usual. And this is the man who owned The Sugar Club who Calvin Klein said was his favourite restaurant yet he had never visited and who made headlines when they turned Madonna away.

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