Kinn Thai

I’ve been wanting to try Kinn Thai since it first opened. I spent July, August and September travelling and eating my way through South America and Cuba so I haven’t been able to make it any sooner.

Last night I got my chance and I took advantage of the fact that my mum was visiting. One more person to take to dinner equals more dishes to try. I know it’s cheeky but I know all of you foodies would be thinking the same thing. Mum owns cafe in Woodford called Jalla’s Cafe so eating and cooking in my family is always high on the ‘to do’ list and I love taking mum to new restaurants when she visits.

This restaurant is located near Jamie’s in the city where Wagamama previously lived. It gets really busy at peak time so book a table in advance so you’re not disappointed. We shared all of the dishes and started with the Crab Prawn Rolls that were filled with crab meat and Thai herbs. They were covered with a plum sauce and they were delicious. I’m a sucker for spring rolls and I’ve tried something similar to these in the past so every mouthful was as delicious as the last and I could have eaten 10 of these crispy little parcels! Yum, yum, yum. They were four for $7 so it was a reasonable priced entree to share.

I love salt and pepper squid and it’s pretty hard to go wrong with this dish. The squid was crispy on the outside and cooked well. It was served with onion, ginger, chilli and coriander and a sweet chilli dipping sauce. It cost $15 for this dish and it’s a good starter to share.

Next up was the crispy eggplant. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and the crispy, light batter was the perfect contrast to the soft eggplant. It was a good sized serving and it cost $12. The sauce was a little to sweet for my taste buds – and I do have a sweet tooth – but it was still yummy.

Now on to the bigger meals! I love a good massamun curry so we had to try the Massamun Lamb Shank. This dish was served with mashed potato and a roti bread that was half in the sauce. It was a really interesting way to serve the dish but it worked. The meat fell off the bone and it was delicious eaten with some steamed rice. This dish was $20.

Oh pork belly I do love you. Who doesn’t love a good dish starring our friend pork belly? You can choose from four styles at Kinn Thai. We chose the ‘Ka Na Moo Grob’ stir fried with garlic and Chinese broccoli. It was tasty but next time I think I’ll try the one topped with capsicum sauce for a little extra crunch. You’ll pay $22 for this one.

Our final dish of the even was the spicy noodles. We chose the vegetarian option but you can choose from chicken, beef or prawns. The fresh pepper corns were a tasty addition and popped in your mouth. I think this dish could have done with a little more heat and a little less sweet but that’s just my opinion.

Mum and I shared a bottle of white and my partner had an Asahi. We didn’t try a cocktail but they were really reasonably priced at about $12 each and there was also cocktail jugs on the menu. We paid about $150 in total and were in and out in about an hour and a half. This is a good option if you want a quick meal but if you’re looking for a leisurely night of dining and wining this might not be the place for you. I’ll definitely returning for some more crab prawns rolls and the other items on the menu. The crispy barramundi, pork ribs and other styles of the crispy pork belly are on my list.

Details:

Kinn Thai Canberra City 125 Bunda Street, Canberra Civic, ACT 2600.

Phone: 02 6247 1277

Email: canberra@kinnrestaurant.com.au

Price Range: Mid range with the average main meal costing about $20

Cuisine: Modern Thai

 

 

Type of dining: Quick, tasty meal with a group of friends