Stir-fried pipis and $1 congee: New late-night Thai joint brings Bangkok's Chinatown to Melbourne
There's a Melbourne-style freedom to some items. I was disarmed and charmed by a salad that includes both raw and cooked prawns, tossed in a hot, tart fermented fish dressing. It riffs on goong chae nam pla, a traditional raw prawn dish that's adjacent to ceviche, and a cooked prawn salad with herbs. You get the bouncy sweetness of the cooked shellfish, and the jelly-like stickiness of the raw. As a staffer tells me later, the idea is to meld seen-it-before comfort and adventure into one scintillating salad.
Yaowarat is alcohol-free but a liquor licence is pending. Meanwhile, there's purple butterfly-pea lemonade, Thai milk tea and lychee soda, among other quenchers. Beers and cocktails will be an improvement for sure, especially as Yaowarat is styling itself as a late-night place for prawns, pipis, pomfret and pork. No matter the beverages, this is a cool addition to Melbourne's laneway lairs.
Three more laneway finds to try
Saadi at Sunda
Modern Indian cooking is one of the most exciting trends in Australian dining and pop-up concept Saadi is at the forefront. Good Food's Young Chef of the Year Saavni Krishnan and previous Young Chef finalist Aditya Suresh are cooking winter dishes such as comforting dal khichdi made with local red lentils and served with pumpkin fritter and Brussels sprouts. On until July 26.
18 Punch Lane, Melbourne, instagram.com/saadi_melbourne
Pecks Road
Tucked down Manchester Lane, this new doughnut and sandwich deli has a realistic approach to sugar-laden treats. Owner and chef Albin Lawang is also a personal trainer and thinks both fitness and indulgence have their place in a happy, balanced life. That must be why I'm happy to balance one of their ube (purple yam) brioche scrolls in my hand on its way to my mouth. Also in Caroline Springs.
The Moat
Hidden beneath the State Library, Moat is easy to miss even though it's been here since 2011. The Italian menu is homely and honest, with antipasti such as eggplant and provolone balls and main courses of slow-roasted lamb shoulder. Wednesday is gnocchi night, with a choice of three dishes, salad and wine for $40.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
2 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
I've dined at restaurants everywhere, I always choose a counter seat
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Even with the roar of the lunch crowd at Cañete in Barcelona, with diners packed in like Ortiz sardines, the lyric was unmistakable: 'Hit me baby one more time'. It came from one of the silver-haired waiters behind the bar as he expertly delivered cod fritters, chorizo sandwiches and glasses of peachy gazpacho to those of us with counter seats. The waiter, a sort of Catalan Steve Buscemi, was given to singing, joking and madcap miming. A little Britney Spears to accompany a plate of grilled asparagus spears seemed fitting. I've seldom enjoyed a meal as much as this one. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY In hospitality it seems as though we've gone from fine dining to fun dining to flatlining. So many restaurants, here and abroad, appear afflicted by a sense of ennui, with energy levels as flat as a proverbial pancake. Cañete was different. It's a lively bar, a boisterous bistro and an expression of culinary levity that I've found sorely lacking lately. Perhaps it's my own fault. After years of shunning the bar, the counter and the chef's table, I'm feeling the gravitational pull of the front row. Nowadays, particularly when I travel abroad, I want dinner and a showstopper. It could be that I need a reprieve from blank-eyed waitstaff offering to explain 'how the menu works'. It's not a manual on quantum physics. Dining at the bar at Barcelona restaurant Cañete. At the bar or counter, there's none of that fussiness, awkwardness or faux camaraderie. Instead, it's replaced by a refreshing immediacy and disarming candour. In the catbird seat, you can enjoy pithy banter with waiters, marvel at displays of cheffy dexterity, and view the reaction of guests to their dishes. At Cañete, the couple on my right ordered prawn fritters, presented as golden discs of crisp camarones. Naturally, I requested them, too. My jolly waiter also recommended spicy meatballs, godello – a luscious Spanish white I'd never tried – and an earth-shaking chocolate lava cake. Above the bar was a sign: 'Fuck your diet'. Dining here was like joining a merry band of kitchen pirates. The spicy meatball at Cañete. Picture: George Epaminondas My nascent desire to be in the middle of the action, cheek by jowl, has led to some outstanding meals. At Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, a serene new hotel in the Thai capital, I had two rarefied experiences. At Sesui, an omakase restaurant, I watched enraptured as sushi maestro Satoshi Tsuru deftly sliced ruby-hued prawns, wrapped tuna in seaweed and explained his approach with the solemnity of a Buddhist monk. On another night, I took a seat at the counter of Hiori, a teppanyaki restaurant where chef Yoji Kitayama shared wagyu spring rolls and glasses of rare sake. I left feeling elated, enlightened and delighted. Chef Satoshi Tsuru prepares sushi at Sesui restaurant at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok Hotel. Interaction with a chef can be rewarding, especially if that chef is an easygoing extrovert. At Trivet, the restaurant at JW Marriott Auckland, I had a meal prepared by executive chef Wallace Mua. Everything from the trevally sashimi to the popcorn semifreddo was sensational, but what really left an impression was Mua's beaming demeanour and winning personality. 'We chefs are usually stuck in the back,' he told me. 'We don't get to tell our story.' This was his moment to shine and he nailed it. Mua, who not long ago toured with the All Blacks as a dietary adviser, shared riotous tales – including the first time he met the team and nervously blurted 'I look forward to orally pleasing you!' He also used our dinner as an opportunity to road-test new dishes, including a fragrant prawn omelette enhanced with a lick of crab consommé, that had not yet made it to Trivet's menu. That insider access felt rewarding. Wallace Mua, executive chef of Trivet, the restaurant at JW Marriott Auckland. Cruise ships, too, are getting in on the counter act. In-the-know diners on Scenic Eclipse II make a beeline for Night Market @ Koko's. With space for just eight guests, the vibrant venue serves zhuzhed-up versions of street food from Asia, India and the Middle East, all while you're flitting around the Med. 'Guests love it – it combines travel, cuisine and theatre,' said Tom Götter, head of Oceans Hotel Operations for Scenic Group. And Silversea has its S.A.L.T. Chef's Table, on Silver Nova and Silver Ray, where culinistas can savour an intimate dining service. Diners at S.A.L.T. Chef's Table on Silver Nova get front-row seats for both ocean and kitchen views. Do you like to watch? When it comes to the drama of open kitchens, many of us are clearly fascinated. Much of the appeal of The Bear, the TV series that boils over with rage, is seeing the chaos of a professional kitchen. In real life, I prefer harmony, hilarity and tidy work stations. Watching line cooks meticulously prepare dishes is the food equivalent of a corps de ballet, a highly choreographed performance. And the exchange goes both ways. 'I can see if someone is enjoying a dish,' Mua said. 'Whether they finish it or not. It's helpful.' Supernormal restaurant in Melbourne features an open kitchen. Closer to home, I've pulled up a bar stool at Sydney's Firepop (smoke-kissed, cumin-flavoured lamb skewers were electrifying), and at Supernormal in Melbourne (I can never go past the chicken and prawn dumplings). Both visits were accompanied by exceptional service, amusing chit-chat and genuine warmth – and not just from the flames. One of the most notable countertop experiences remains Woodcut at Crown Sydney, from avid restaurateurs Sunny and Ross Lusted, whose four open kitchens are dedicated to varying cooking methods – from ash grilling to steam kettling. Their interactive style still feels fresh almost five years after opening. Forget farm to table. I'd rather have charm to table. Counter dining is where it's at. Originally published as I've dined at restaurants everywhere, I'll always choose a counter seat
SBS Australia
4 hours ago
- SBS Australia
'I have worked hard to ensure I am not typecast into one genre:' Pakistani singer Kashif Ali Babar
On his visit to Melbourne for The Great Multicultural Gathering 2025, Kashif Ali Babar performed on stage in front of thousands of South Asians. While his performance was widely appreciated, Kashif told SBS Punjabi that becoming a performer took considerable effort. 'Usually, a singer is known by the type of songs they sing. But I did not want that. 'I have worked hard to ensure I can sing all kinds of music and am not typecast into any particular genre," says Mr Babar. "I also worked on my dressing, on how to interact with the audience." In the recent festival, which saw participation from India and Pakistan, Kashif said, "Music has no boundaries." Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi are all my languages. We enjoy Indian music, and my music has received a lot of love from India as well. We are here to blur the divides through common culture and music Kashi Ali Babar Kashif also told SBS that he wanted to become a cricketer, and becoming a singer was a lucky-by-chance moment. To hear his full story, listen to this podcast: LISTEN TO SBS Punjabi 21/07/2025 16:10 Panjabi 🔊 Find all our podcasts and stories that matter here at SBS Punjabi Podcast Collection. 💻 For news, information and interviews in Punjabi from across Australia and the homeland, you can tune in to SBS Punjabi live from Monday to Friday at 4pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website . 📲 Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram .
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Karl Stefanovic left speechless after Bec Judd's X-rated remarks on live TV
All decorum went out the window on the Today show this morning, with Karl Stefanovic left floundering for words after Bec Judd's X-rated confession. Promoting her new podcast Vain-ish, the Melbourne-based influencer sat down for an interview with Stefanovic and Sarah Abo on the Nine breakfast show alongside her co-host Jess Roberts. The pair are on a quest to banish the smoke and mirrors surrounding cosmetic procedures and treatments, vowing to come clean on their show about what work they get done, while also interviewing doctors to debunk or verify the latest beauty crazes. Talking about some of the procedures they've trialled, from salmon sperm facials to placenta encapsulation, Judd said their next episode would unpack Roberts' recent experience having a yoni steam. Unprompted, Roberts proceeded to say, 'It's where you steam your fanny.' The blunt remark prompted fits of giggles from the pair, as well as Abo, while Stefanovic pulled a horrified expression, stopping short of wading into the topic. It took the father-of-four about a minute to intervene, asking Judd if her husband, retired AFL legend Chris Judd, had ever 'gone for a fanny rejuvenation treatment.' 'No, we left the yoni steam for Jess,' Judd responded. 'Because he (Chris) goes, 'please you've already done the salmon sperm facial, can you not be the one who also steams her yoni publicly.'' Stefanovic cheekily wrapped the interview, saying, 'You had me at yoni.' It comes after another rogue segment made headlines on the Today show last month, with retired NRL player Aaron Woods unwittingly exposing his manhood on-air. Woods had earlier made a bet with Stefanovic vowing to do a nudie run if NSW lost State of Origin game two. And after the Blues lost to Queensland in Perth, Woods came good on his promise, stripping to his birthday suit and bolting toward the water as he dived into the surf, while Stefanovic, Abo and Danika Mason broke into fits of laughter. While a bit of butt action was all in the script, Woods then did the unthinkable, turning around to face the camera leaving the poor unfortunate editors no time to blur his modesty. Cue terrified screams from Abo and newsreader Jayne Azzopardi. 'No! Don't show it!,' Abo howled, as Woods flashed a beaming smile.
