Restaurant Review: Cookie

Location: 252 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 7660
Link: cookie.net.au
Cuisine: Thai
Overall Impression: 7/10

Cookie is more than your average bar. For starters, it is one of Melbourne's most popular Friday night drinking spots (it helps that there is a dancefloor a quick flight of stairs away from it). And commendably, it manages to serve consistently good Thai food.

Roti

Steamed Tapioca dumplings filled with pickled turnip, pork and peanuts

Betel leaves with smoked fish, chicken and roasted coconut salad

Mussels steamed with ginger, lime lemongrass, chilli and coriander

Stir fried pork belly with red curry, green peppercorns, kaffir lime and green beans  

Asparagus, sugar snaps, spinach and garlic beans

Fat rice noodles with duck, cabbage, green peppercorns and basil

Salmon, prawn and pomelo salad with ginger and lemongrass

The food is basically jazzed up Thai food that thankfully retains authentic characteristics. My all time favourite dish at Cookie is their Stir fried pork belly with red curry. The crackling on that pork belly is crisp and indulgent and the flesh is always delectably tender and the luxurious red curry is always packed full of flavour. With larger groups, I would recommend ordering the banquet that starts from as little as $30 per person. It's a great way to eat your way through the Cookie menu especially if it is your first time. The service is brilliant and the staff are incredibly helpful and accommodating  The only downside is how popular this place is - it gets uncomfortably packed on Friday and Saturday nights.