I’ve driven past this place many times, and as a fan of Thai food, I thought I would give this place a try. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, with the inside being not much better. The decor is basic and clean, however, the colour scheme seems to be a mismatch. The green walls,  brown laminate flooring, blue chairs and red table cloths seem to clash with each other. During the day, there is plenty of natural light that flows into this place, but as the sun sets, the lighting is considerably dim.

Last night, I ordered the Massaman Beef Curry. As we came in a large group, we were forewarned that our meals wouldn’t arrive at the same time. Given that most of the dishes were different, they did a pretty good job in ensuring all meals arrived at reasonably close intervals. My meal came out 10 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented. Thin lean slices of beef were used which was kind of disappointing as I’m used to beef chunks that have been cooked until they fall apart. The meat was soft and tender but it was obvious it had been tenderised using soda powder, which essentially removes all the nutrients. The potatoes were firm and well cooked, while the peanuts provided a slight crunchy texture. The flavours were spot on and the sauce had nice depth.

From all the dishes that the group had, the feedback was all positive. One or two people thought their dish was average, while everyone else really liked what they had.

The staff were friendly and the service was average. At times, the service was really slow and getting someone to take our orders was quite painful. There was also an incident where beer was spilt on one of my friends, but I accept that accidents do happen. It did get better as the night progressed with drinks being refilled promptly and our plates being cleared as we finished. The atmosphere was relaxed, although it was very hot in the restaurant. We could see the use of fans and air conditioning, but the place just felt stuffy. The pricing is really good here with no mains over $18.

I must say the food is really good here and it’s the main reason why we come to a restaurant. The decor, service and atmosphere are also important, but these things are really secondary. Well worth a visit if you’re up for a cheap feed in the Western suburbs.

WHERE: 194 Grange Rd, Flinders Park