Overview
Longrain has long been one of Melbourne's top Thai restaurants — before and after Scott Pickett (founder of Estelle, Smith St Bistrot, Chancery Lane and Matilda) took over in late 2020.
He and his team serve a huge range of contemporary Thai fare within a converted horse stable at the top end of Little Bourke Street, but it has always been a dine-in situation, with lunch only available on Friday arvos.
But that's all changing this autumn and winter. As of Monday, May 13, the Longrain team is serving lunch-style adaptations of some of the restaurant's most legendary dishes at the west end of Little Collins Street — right next to Pickett's own Chancery Lane.
On the menu: head chef Long Le has turned the much-loved crispy pork hock into a roll loaded with pickles, coriander and sriracha mayo; the whole fish is now broken down into more manageable crispy fish fillets served with tamarind mayo and Chinese cabbage slaw; and the prawn salad has been reimagined as a lunchtime dish that's leaps and bounds greater than your Kardashian-style shake-and-go salads. Desserts are also on offer, in the form of Thai milk tea panna cotta and a coconut chocolate mousse.
"Our menu is all about tasty, affordable meals that you can eat on the go," says Le. "We have thoughtfully reimagined the flavours, techniques and presentation of Longrain classics that guests know and love without compromising on quality and authenticity."
The food is all designed to be taken away, but a handful of seats are available for those who want to dine in. Chang beer, canned wine, young coconut juice and Thai coffee are also up for grabs.
Beyond the ready-to-eat dishes, Longrain Canteen is also selling Thai pantry staples and hard-to-find ingredients for those who want to try a bit of Thai cooking at home. Just be sure to get in soon — the pop-up will only run until the start of spring.
You'll find Longrain Canteen at 430 Collins Little Street until the start of spring, open Monday–Friday, 11am–2.30pm. For more details, head to the venue's website.
Interior images: Alex Squadrito