As someone who constantly walks past this place, I’ve always been confused as to the actual setup of this place. Is it a Thai and Malaysian restaurant? Is it a Japanese restaurant? Is it a Korean restaurant? To answer your questions, it’s all three under the one roof. The first front half as you enter is Glenelg Spices. There are then two small passage ways. One passage way leads to the second front half which is Yakumi Kitchen, and another passage way leads you to the rear of the property which is Korean BBQ. While one staff member told me there were 3 separate kitchens, all 3 restaurants have the same owner and it appear to be run by the same staff.

The Glenelg Spices section is neat and well presented, and seats just under 40. If you’re seated at the table for two on one side you may feel a little cramped as there is very little space to move your chair. The space does have nice clean lines, and the white table cloths add a touch of class. To some degree, this place does have a casual upmarket feel about it.

As an entree, we had the Pandan Chicken. The chicken was tender, succulent and perfectly cooked. The piney, vanilla, musty flavour of the pandan was well infused into the chicken. The sweet dipping sauce was a perfect accompaniment to the dish.

For the main, I ordered the Pad Thai which was beautifully presented. The prawns and chicken were tender and succulent, while the peanuts and bean sprouts added a lovely crunchy texture. The flavour, and even the colour, was just right. The only downfall were the noodles. Slightly overcooked and a bit on the gluggy side.

My friend ordered the Choo Chee Prawns and said it was well executed. The prawns were perfectly cooked and the vegetables were fresh and crisp. The coconut gravy was a highlight with lovely subtle hints of chilli.

The staff were friendly and the service was very good. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was average. The Pandan Chicken was $8.80, the Choo Chee Prawn was $20.80 and the Pad Thai $14.80 (clearly the owners are superstitious with the prominent use of “8” in their menu).

For a place that does 3 cuisines under the one roof, the Thai food isn’t too bad. This whole setup is also a clever way to get me to eat inside this building at least 3 times.

WHERE: 111 Jetty Rd, Glenelg