Chalawan

New Thai gastrobar Chalawan is a welcomed addition to Smith Street's bustling foodie scene. The first Australian outlet from the team behind renowned Bangkok venues Hyde and Seek, Peek-A-Boo and Smith, this vibrant venue, named after the Crocodile King in Thai folklore, delivers an impeccable menu of contemporary Thai food and drink.

The ambience is modern and relaxed. Designed by Studio Equator, the beautiful space is anchored by the reptilian central bar covered in scale-shaped turquoise tiles, while the vaulted exposed beams down the length of the dining room draw diners’ eyes to the Chalawan Crocodile King mural on the back wall.

Only a few months old, the venue already runs seamless thanks to an all-star team direct from Bangkok, ensuring that all the zest, vibrancy and vigour of Thai cuisine comes through on every plate.

We started with the Tom Kha Hoy Shell pan-seared scallops. The scallops were cooked to perfection and served with crispy lightly fried oyster mushrooms in a frothy Tom Kha broth. We loved the light broth which while incredibly flavoursome was subtle enough to allow the natural sweetness of the scallops to shine through. It was a thoroughly modern and well curated dish.

For mains we fell in love with the Kanom Jeen Neua, braised black angus beef cheek green curry served with rambutan and Thai rice noodles. Having benefited from being slow braised for 10 hours, the beef cheek fell apart easily with the weight of our spoons. We loved the thin layer of crispy exterior encasing the melt in your mouth morsels of beef. Together with slippery noodles  and the luxurious curry, this dish certainly packed a punch in both heat and flavour. The addition of rambutan was a masterstroke which added a desirable freshness and sweetness which contrasted beautifully with the curry.

The Khao Soi Gae was similarly moreish. A Northern Thai curry of slow-roasted lamb shoulder served over handmade black sticky-rice tagliatelle. Again, the meat was cooked beautifully.

Our favourite savoury course of the night, the Gaeng panang tao hu was an absolute show stopper - featuring two different textures of tofu, beans, mushrooms and earthy wild black rice all laced with beautifully creamy coconut-centric panang curry. Perfect for vegetarians, or well, anyone really.

Showcasing the versatility of the kitchen, the desserts were, again, delicious. For sheer gratification the Khanom gluay is sure to please. Think home-made caramalised banana ice cream served with banana chips, banana brulee, sundried banana and chocolate and nut crumble. For something a bit more interesting, the Kanom Jaak will do the trick - Black glutinous rice pudding with Toddy Palm, Thai style granola smoke meringue and coconut ice cream. Just. Yum.

To match the outstanding food menu are the snappy ‘Croctails’, made using premium spirits and featuring house-dehydrated fruit. Nawin Pimolrat, Chalawan’s head bartender, has created an exquisite list of drinks which will take guests straight to the streets of Bangkok. A highlight is the Islander Cobbler with its fusion of Plantation 5 Years, Pavan, Toddy Palm, Passionfruit, Citrus, Mango and Kaffir lime leaves.

With a menu grounded in authentic Thai flavours paired with modern techniques, local produce and ingredients, Chalawan pleases with a sophisticated and interesting menu unlike any other Thai offering in Melbourne.

Location: 102 Smith St, Collingwood
Phone: (03) 9078 9532
Link: facebook.com/chalawanmelb