Down at the end of Partridge Street is a small cluster of eateries that attract locals and workers nearby. One of the more popular cafes in this area is Sabai, which seems to be full everytime I drive past. The menu is a combination of Thai fusion, vegetarian and vegan.

One reason why Sabai is full all the time is because it’s not particularly large. You could fit about 30 diners inside, and few more in the outdoor area around the side. The place itself is neat and well presented, and the black and white colour scheme seems to work. Located on a nice corner position, there is plenty of natural light flowing through it’s frontages.

For lunch, I ordered the Sabai Burger. Now before anyone says, why didn’t you order Thai food at a Thai cafe, the answer is the Thai lunch menu is only available from Wednesday to Sunday, which is when their Thai chef makes an appearance. As a result, I was stuck with their more western menu.

The meal came out 15 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented on a now standard wooden chopping board. The burger was a decent size and consisted of a pork and beef patty, bacon, fried egg, lettuce, beetroot, tomato chutney. It also came with a side serving of aioli and chips.

The patty was nice and thick, however its diameter was smaller than the bun. It was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The bacon could have been a bit crispier and the egg was fried for a bit too long. If you’re going to put egg in my burger, I expect a runny yolk. The tomato was ripe and the lettuce was fresh and crisp. The natural sweetness of the beetroot complimented the tomato chutney well, however, the inclusion of basil in the burger seemed to overpower everything. I felt the pungent and peppery taste of the basil did not work in this burger.

The chips were nice and crunchy, and adequately salted. The garlic aioli was perfectly executed and complemented the chips well.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was good. Drinks arrived promptly and my chopping board was cleared as I finished. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was average. The cost of the burger was $18 which is on par with pubs and cafes. The most expensive dish on their menu is $22 which is not over the top.

The Thai fusion seems to be working well for this place, however, I’d have second thoughts about ordering the burger again.

WHERE: 105 Partridge St, Glenelg South