CHAT THAI @ Loaded With Fresh Thai Flavours & Fun

Great city location in the Sydney CBD on bustling Campbell Street and well situated right opposite the Capitol Theater, already a queue outside and buzzing inside with so much life and vibe, CHAT THAI in Haymarket delivers the authentic Thai flavors from local street food to restaurant delights that will have your tongue dancing from one palate to another. mylifestylenews writes.

Centrally located, the luminous Chat Thai is welcoming you with the urban vibe within the Haymarket and Chinatown precinct. Despite being told by one of the wait staff that the night was relatively quiet on a Friday night and not overly busy on their perennial standard, the 7pm -ish prime time dining is hard to get in, thanks to the prior reservation made weeks ago. The buzz was definitely there, through the pretty entrance and the narrow hallway, the deeper we walked in, the louder it gets, the vibrant ambience is like in a mini market place with table settings quite close to each other to keep the formality away and introduces a more friendly and inviting dining experience.

Interior design is so cool. Exposed brick walls with colorful artwork and hippy lighting fixtures in multi-coloured glass balls that is eye-catching and really sets the scene for a simple but fun and vibrant interior. A mezzanine floor occupied even more early diners that were ready to break their early fast by savouring the gastronomic Thai delights.

Same Same but Different! The Menu focuses on true local Thai street food flavors, tropical yet sinfully tasty and most importantly, the fare is not high-end, Thai-accented and delectable comfort food is expected here. From the colours, the spice, the freshest ingredients to the taste and satisfaction, the aroi mak mal umami sensation is here to find. You may need some time to navigate the colorful menu booklet, easily loaded with hundreds of items, all speedily served in a timely manner from the tiny smoky kitchen where the sound of the tossing wok can be seen and heard dramatically and the inviting oil fumes aroma that permeate out to the dining area from the semi-closed kitchen door. If you are not careful, you may end up over ordering as everything seems too delicious to be true. So, pick wisely!

<Sai Ouah>
With two light Thai Singha beers to start with, that helps to quench our thirst on a dry winter night, Sai Ouah - the house spicy pork sausage with aromatic herbs and chilli - is best way to kick start the Thai sojourn. Lightly char-grilled on the outside with a light crispiness on the skin and the meaty sausage was sliced in a mouthful bite size, well placed around a flat white plate and topped with a small bed of tossed green salad and julienned ginger. The flesh remained moist, the chunk of meat is smoky and a triumph of flavour, so tender and delicious. A must order! On the bonus side, if you are up for spicy dipping, ask for the Nahm Jim seafood dipping sauce that certainly would elevate the already delectable sausages.

<Gai Yang>

Char-grilled turmeric and lemongrass marinated chicken with nahm jim jaew. The smoked chilli flakes and tamarind sauce is a sweeter version dipping sauce that goes harmoniously with the lightly crispy boneless chicken. Ancient flavors are being treated with decidedly traditional culinary techniques and thinking that makes the chicken simply so tender and juicy and delivers such a fabulous char-grilled flavor. Divine!

<Pork Ribs>
Simple dish cooked best! The chunky and meaty pork ribs were char-grilled to lightly burnt on the side for the smokey effect and flavour, served alongside with nahm jim jaew dipping sauce which is the perfect foil for the rich pork ribs.  So tasty and enjoyable and a total guilty pleasure!

<Pad Kana Moo Krob>
This is another popular and authentic wok-fried dish with crispy pork belly slices and Chinese Kale, coated in spicy, sweet, salty and slightly sour sauce that is simply sensational! A bowl of steamy hot jasmine rice is best to go with the complexity of the savoury palate. It is such a common and delectable Thai comfort food dish that delivers a sensational flavour.

<Phad Thai Goong Woon Sen>
Stir-fried thin glass noodles with prawns, hen's egg, dried shrimps, bean sprouts, garlic chives, well tossed over speedy high heat with tamarind and palm sugar (including peanuts). This complex smoky flavoursome Phad Thai is to “dine for" and achieved by cooking all the freshest ingredients over extreme heat and ensure the flavour develops while simultaneously retaining the textural crunch. It is simply so irresistible!

<Pad Krapow Gai>

Usually we go for Pad Krapow Moo instead of Gai (minced pork over minced chicken) but strangely the server told us that they do not serve pork for this popular by demand dish but minced chicken instead. However, this spicy holy Thai basil stir-fried minced chicken didn't disappointment either. It was stir-fried in high heat, short and precise to generate the smoky flavour as well as not being overly cooked with the delicate texture of the minced meat that has a significant impact on its flavour. This was picture perfect in all ways and was so tasty, with the right spice level, smoky in flavours and great seasoning. If you are readily taking in the local flavour, a generous amount of hot bird eye chili padi is no stranger for this holy-spicy dish and that is how it shall be served and enjoyed. Another bowl of jasmine is a no brainer and is an absolute winner!

<Gaeng Daeng Bped>
This is a red curry of five spice roast duck with pineapple, lychee and Thai basil and could not be faulted, with a stunning taste and unctuous flavor - it’s spicy, rich and fragrant and is one of the best we have ever had and even better than some in Thailand. The roasted duck was so tender and delicious, soaked up the creamy curry entirely and just the right level of spice and sweetness for a flavour explosion. It is utterly moreish!

<Mango Sticky Rice>
While we were about to call it a night, our wait staff insisted us to try two of their hot-selling fast desserts. We forcefully accepted the offer in a delighted manner by having the Mango Sticky Rice with a fabulous presentation where the freshly cut mango was presented in a rose petal motif on the plate and so sweetly delicious without being overly sweet, served alongside a large scoop of sticky rice overly drenched with coconut cream and topped with crispy mung bean and garnished with pandan leaf. The mango is a great way to cool down the palate after all the spicy food.

<Par Tuhng Go>
Mini pillowy flash fried dough sticks served with coconut pandan custard. The dough stick is so perfectly deep fried to golden brown without much traces of oil and the custard is delectably sweet to end a solitary heavy meals.

Thai food can be so complex because of all the essential ingredients and our evening was full of rich flavors that were to be savored and were so authentic in execution (as they should be) and in our estimation all dishes were better than some of our memorable experiences in Thailand, so kudos to the kitchen brigade for providing such a memorable evening. The service is extremely efficient and friendly and they ask you when you want the next course to be served by frequently checking on your table, as the food can come out very quickly. Across the ocean thousand miles away from the actual Land of Smiles, you'll be proud to shout out loud "I LOVE THAI FOOD" or more intimately "I LOVE THAILAND" after you walk out from CHAT THAI having both your hands holding up your blow up balloon-ish stomach and perhaps saying a word or two in THAI – Khop Khun Krap with your greatest appreciation by having had such a great time that has utterly delighted your palate with such Thai craving. CHAT THAI is an exciting find in Sydney loaded with fresh Thai flavors and fun.

Image Credit: Copyright of CHAT THAI

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

CHAT THAI
20 Campbell Street,
Haymarket, Sydney
NSW Australia
Tel: +61 2 9211 1800

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.