Thai Town

Shop 25, Artemis Lane
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://www.thaitownqv.com.au/

Melbourne’s had an explosion of new Thai eateries recently, and Thai Town happens to be one of the more egalitarian options among them. Designed to look like a traditional Thai street market and seating over 200, this is an easy place for groups of all shapes and sizes to grab a quick bite whilst in the CBD. The food falls short of true authenticity, but the sheer range of dishes warrant a mention, as well as their cute little takeaway dessert counter at the front. If you’re just after something quick and easy, Thai Town is a good choice. Just beware – the lines can extend out during busy periods, though if you come in a pair, you’re likely to get a seat within minutes.

Rating: 12/20 – the easy choice.
Go for: the sheer variety of items.

The Spicy Crispy Rice and Fermented Pork Salad ($17.9) is a must-try if you love the strong, spicy flavours of Thai salads. The rugged crunch of deep-fried rice, combined with the fatty, slightly sour sausage and generous amounts of chilli, is a total flavour bomb.

The Salted Egg Calamari ($19.9), though, was pretty ordinary. It’s basically just bits of squid in a generic, slightly spicy Asian sauce. Not a bad idea to get a bowl of Jasmine Rice ($3.5) to go with this one.

Similarly eh was the Thai Boat Noodle with Pork ($16.9). I don’t know if this has the customary addition of pork blood that gives the dish its signature richness, but if there is any, it’s not enough. The broth was also a bit too sweet for my liking, though the variety of toppings gets a tick.

Good thing the Thai Milk Tea ($5.9), with its almost-excessive sweetness, and an underscore of rich black tea.