Run by Karen Batson of Cookie and The Toff in Town fame, the food was always going to be pretty good. Thai meets American diner might be a strange culinary concept, but when it puts dishes like kaffir lime chicken nuggets with chilli dipping sauce on the menu, there’s little doubt it’s going to work.

If there’s a signature dish, it would have to be the Bangkok bolognaise – a twisted, spiced up version of the classic that will draw diners back time and time again. Better yet they can afford to return on a regular basis. Colonel Tan’s is far less expensive than its CBD cousins. Mains are all under $15, keeping the menu squarely within reach of the local student set.

Found within the infamous night spot Revolver- for a huge, high ceilinged warehouse of a place, Colonel Tan’s is also surprisingly cosy. Warm orange lights soften eclectic furniture, while the retro design mixes vinyl pineapple print tablecloths with playable Nintendo 64s. Like its city counterparts, the drinks list is much larger than the menu and has a very strong selection of beers and cocktails – an entire page is dedicated to rehabilitating the much-maligned spritzer.