So you love Thai food, do you? Well, if you're counting those creamy curries or sugar-laden stir-fries as fine examples of the cuisine, chances are you probably haven't even tried it. That's where Long Chim comes in. It prides itself on serving authentic Thai street food that hasn't been watered down or sweetened up. It is hot. You will cry. But we'll be damned if this isn't the closest we've come to getting the real deal in Sydney.
We start with the red snapper fish cakes in betel leaves and are immediately struck done by the delicious Thai basil and fresh peanuts in a delicate cucumber relish. We followed up with the spicy cashews with tamarind fish sauce and chilli scallion. We were reaching for the water pretty fast.
However, the advantage of burning the lining of your throat early is that the rest of the menu becomes a bit more manageable. Highlights include the stir-fried Chinese broccoli with crispy garlic in oyster sauce while the barramundi and lemongrass salad in fish sauce with cashews and chilli was divine.
Standout desserts include the Thai coffee ice cream with corn, coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts and coconut ice cream with macadamia brittle.
Another point that sets Long Chim apart is its extensive selection of beers, wines and cocktails that go well beyond Singha and Tiger. There's a magnificent Thai Basil Smash made with lime and red chilli (what can I say, I'm a sadist), however the pomelo spritz with Finlandia, Aperol, prosecco, pomelo and lime was just what was needed to ward off any lingering spice.
