Thaiger Rabbit

Overview

There are little pockets of fresh and innovative goodness appearing along a Victoria Street that has perhaps seen better days. Thaiger Rabbit is one such pocket. The Thai restaurant formerly known as Ying Thai has moved five minutes down the road and reincarnated as the modestly stylish Thaiger Rabbit.

There is seating for 12 in the small lower dining room with an upstairs area that would be perfect for groups. Wooden tables, bird-cage lampshades and a large blackboard-style mural on the wall all come together to create a quirky, upbeat, market-style atmosphere. A long bench runs along the window allowing for people-watching on Victoria Street, and if that's not your thing, books are provided for those who want food for thought, as well as in their bellies. Russell Brand's Revolution nestles up against Aboriginal Art and a cupcake recipe book.

The menu is extensive. It is inconceivable that you would not find something that appeals among the variety of salads, curries, stir-fries and noodles. Some dishes make no concession for mainstream eaters. The salted crab papaya salad is a fiery version of this spicy, sweet and sour dish, with whole crab legs that require work to extract the flesh. Other dishes follow the safer line of stir-fry vegetables and cashew nuts with a choice of protein and a mild yet tasty sauce.

And then there's the 'special additional' page for those who really want to try something different. Take your pick from Thai-style omelettes; deep-fried whole fish topped with green apple, chilli and cashew nuts; and the intriguing little pandan leaf parcels of tasty deep-fried chicken (gai hor bai toey).

If you're a subscriber to the theory that a meal is not a meal without dessert, you will not be disappointed here. Thaiger Rabbit offers an interesting range of sweet and sticky Thai desserts with variations on a coconut theme.

There is a range of traditional Thai drinks to take the sting out of some of the three-chillied items on the menu, and although it is BYO, if you haven't quite got around to swinging by the bottle shop, there is also a selection of beer and wine.

For delicious food, reasonable prices, a slightly eccentric vibe and just the sheer joy of going to a restaurant with a play on words in its name, Thaiger Rabbit will have you covered on a number of bases.