The Botanic Bar has replaced what was once a seating and pool table area with a new Thai restaurant, Golden Boy. The venue is not particularly large with a long tiled bench running across the centre of the room. Surrounding the bench is a booth, a series of small tables, and a bar towards the rear. Industrial scaffolding has been cleverly used to hang the light fittings, and the use of mirrors makes this place appear larger than what it really is. The drawings on the feature wall take a bit of getting used to, and with the Latin music playing in the background, you soon forget you’re sitting in a Thai restaurant.

When the former chef of Nu Thai is running the kitchen, nothing more needs to be said. There is a decent selection of both modern and traditional dishes on the menu, which cleverly doubles as a place mat. There is basically something for everyone with tapas, salad, stir fry, curry and charcoal grilled dishes. If you still can’t decide, there is the “Tuk Tuk” banquet option where your dishes are chosen for you.

Today, we ordered the Green Papaya Salad and the Pad Thai to share. The salad came out after 10 minutes and the Pad Thai 10 minutes later. Both dishes were beautifully presented and just as good as each other.

The Green Papaya Salad consisted of fresh chilli, snake beans, tomato, peanut, pickled garlic and spanner crab. The salad was one of the best I’ve eaten, and from the first bite, you could tell the ingredients were fresh. The fresh chilli provided a burst of excitement while the beans and peanuts added a crunchy texture to the dish. The spanner crab was light and delicate, while the flavour of garlic was prominent. All the flavours and textures really worked in harmony to create a fantastic salad!

The Pad Thai was also one of the best. The noodles were firm and perfectly cooked, while the bean sprouts and peanuts added a nice crunchy texture. The chicken was tender and succulent, and the more healthier breast meat was used. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and the flavour and colour was just right. I’m still licking my lips thinking about it.

The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the service was excellent. Drinks arrived promptly and plates were cleared as we finished. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the price point of the dishes was on par with other nearby dining establishments. This place pretty much did everything right. As this place serves food till midnight, I can’t see this place being anything but a total success.

WHERE: 309 North Tce, Adelaide