A touch of Thai in CBD – Lanna Thai Restaurant
Finding a restaurant open on Sundays for dinner in Melbourne CBD can be quite a challenge.And, I guess I preclude those in Chinatown. Flipping through my Australian Good Food & Accommodation Guide (AGFG), I managed to locate Lanna Thai.It is located at the theatre precinct of the CBD which is towards the parliament. This location makes it a perfect choice for a pre-theatre dining if Thai is your preference.We found ourselves to be one of the few guests.Perhaps it’s a Sunday night and past the pre-theatre peak time.Have you ever found yourselves to have the whole restaurant to yourself? We had undue attention and the service was quick.
There’s one dish that I can’t go without in a Thai restaurant. No, it’s not pad thai but a bowl of tom yum soup. Tom yam soup = Thai food. A good tom yum soup has the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavours and herbs such as lemongrass and kaffir leaves. The tom yum soup here is served with a slight variation where there is a little of milk added to the broth as a finishing touch. I usually prefer the original version where the broth is clear.The spiciness of the soup is subjective to individuals and can be ordered accordingly. The sour flavour of the soup serves as an excellent appetizer to whet your appetite for the next dish to come!
Tom Yum Soup with prawns and mushroom
The beef salad came with a colourful combinations of vegetables such as sliced cucumber,grated carrots and perfectly grilled beef topped with the traditional Thai dressing with fish sauce,lime and chilli.
Grilled beef salad with mixed herbs,cucumber and tomato
The curry can be ordered by the preference of red curry,green curry,yellow curry and panang curry.With the choice of curry, you can then choose the type of meat such as chicken,beef,lamb,or pork and seafood except for the yellow curry which is traditionally cooked with seafood .We decided on the red chicken curry. The curry is cooked with coconut milk and is full of vegetables.The broth was creamy with correct balance of coconut milk and curry paste .The curry is best eaten accompanied by fragrant jasmine rice with generous helping of the creamy curry broth.
Red Chicken Curry in coconut milk with vegetables
Dishes served with fragrant jasmine rice
Last but not least, we ordered the sticky rice with ice cream for dessert. I am not a big fan of coconut ice cream but surprisingly it tasted really good!
Sticky rice with coconut ice cream
We ate our dinner in leisure and was there till closing hour. With long tables lined up and its banquet menu, Lanna Thai is also a good choice for functions and pre-theatre dining. The service was quick,food tasty and value for money.If I’ve ever have a Thai craving on a quiet Sunday night, I know where to go next time!
Melbourne Lanna Thai Restaurant
287 Exhibition St
Melbourne, 3000
(03) 9662 1250
Open Mon-Fri: Lunch
Mon-Sun: Dinner
Price: $$ ($15-$25 per main)
Cuisine: Thai
Description: Restaurant,Gluten-free friendly, Kid friendly
Ambience: 8.0
Service: 8.5
Food: 8.5
Value: 9.0
My Rating: 8.5
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