Seven Spicy Contenders for the Title of Best Thai Restaurant in Perth

Whether it be the smoky char of skewers from street markets or the fine-dining restaurants of Bangkok, Perth-based chefs are championing the many culinary regions of Thailand and bringing those flavours to suburban WA.

While you’ll find favourites such as green curry and larb on many menus, venture out to Rym Tarng, S&T and Est Turong Market to experience the broader regions of Thailand and explore less common dishes including a tender pork jowl and herb-laden soup noodles.

Here – in alphabetical order – are seven of the best Thai restaurants in Perth.

Baan Baan, Perth

Baan Baan (“baan” means home in Thai) sees Thai street food and raises it with regional Thai cooking and dishes owners Wanwipar “Dao” Thanasothorn and Punchita Wangpaichitr grew up with.

Jump Street’s famous grilled pork skewers and roast pork and crackling salad are on the Baan Baan menu, alongside popular dishes like crisp crab meat rolls (deep-fried tofu skin parcels with Shark Bay crab and water chestnut); savoury fish custard wrapped in banana leaves and grilled (a cool riff on the Thai classic hor mok, which is usually steamed); and nam prik, the northern Thai dish starring raw vegetables dipped in a chilli relish.

That whole fish stuffed with herbs and grilled in a banana leaf? A memory straight from Dao’s childhood on her family’s fish farm. It’s a deep menu, and one best tackled with a broad sample. The drinks package is equally considered and stars spice-sympathetic wines, cocktails and beers.

172 Newcastle Street, Perth
baanbaanperth.com.au
@baanbaanperth

Chuonkin Thai Restaurant, Perth

Chuonkin feels more like a low-key jazz bar than a Thai restaurant. The long lounges, jazz soundtrack, neon lights and piano in the corner certainly give off that ambience. And the team here provides all the comfort and familiarity of your favourite neighbourhood bar, albeit with the addition of Thai dishes spiked with sweet and sour lime, basil and tamarind. The five-spice duck confit is a definite crowd-pleaser, levelling up the classic French dish with a tangy, Thai and East Asian-inspired plum sauce. It comes with mixed berries and golden quail eggs, reminiscent of the “golden treasures” often eaten to bring prosperity during cultural celebrations. The green curry chicken, bolstered by house-made curry paste, is more complex than most, while the Panang curry beef is a must-try for those after a sweeter dish. Drinks-wise, it’s mostly BYO here, so you can grab a bottle from nearby or order standard soft drinks.

137 Barrack Street, Perth
chuonkin.square.site

Est Home of Torung Market, Perth

This smart diner, just a few hundred metres from the CBD, is a nod to Thailand’s vibrant night markets (talad torung). Its pink neon signage, Thai street maps and name (“torung” roughly translates to “until dawn”) reinforce owner Immy Deery’s mission to bring a slice of Thailand to Perth. And she doesn’t stop at one region. Start with koi, a dish of finely chopped raw beef with a biting side of herbs, from the north-eastern territory of Isan. From the same part of the country, try sup nomai, a steamed bamboo shoot salad that packs a punch with fresh herbs, chilli and fish sauce. (As you might in Isan, you can add a side of sticky rice.) From the southern end of Thailand, there’s the specialty kaeng tai pla (mackerel in a spicy curry) served in a platter with bun (a thin vermicelli), pickles, bean sprouts and herbs. Deery doesn’t just hand over the fish and feed you for the day, either. You can sign up for one of her cooking classes and recreate her classic Thai dishes for a lifetime.

270 William St, Perth
esthomeoftorungmarket.com

Long Chim, Perth

Buried beneath the respectfully restored State Treasury building, Long Chim Perth (its sister restaurant is in Sydney) brings Bangkok buzz, grit and soul to the heart of the CBD. It’s the concept of renowned Aussie chef and cookbook author David Thompson, who spent more than 30 years in Bangkok and whose now-closed London restaurant, Nahm, won the world’s first Michelin star for a Thai restaurant. At Long Chim, the semi-open scullery recreates the traditional dishes he ate while living in the Thai capital. Diners can enjoy a line-up of the favourites done differently, such as pad thai made with house-dried prawns, and a red curry of duck finished with freshly made coconut cream. Less familiar will be the charred noodles in a gooey gravy of pork and yellow beans. To finish, banana roti is an easy choice, while durian ice-cream is a draw for the more daring. A short wine list provides some relief from the spice, including a Thai drop for something a bit different. A separate bar and courtyard serves Thai-inspired cocktails and snacks until late. Visit after dark to watch the murals by Thai graffiti artists come to life.

Basement Corner of St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street, Perth
longchimperth.com/
@longchimperth

Rym Tarng, Bicton

Translating to “next to the road” in Thai, a rym tarng is an open roadside kitchen that serves food to passers-by. This Rym Tarng, a Bicton spot that’s full of heart, is much the same. As you enter the tiny 16-seat BYO restaurant, Suphattra “Por” Yimphrae and Traiphop “Max” Khamngern (two of the four co-owners) often give a warm and energetic welcome. The open kitchen bursts with energy, very good smells, and no small amount of smoke. Enjoy the crunch of golden pork-and-prawn fritters paired with a sweet plum dipping sauce. There’s crunch, too, in the limey, chilli-spiked som tum (green papaya salad), while toasted rice powder makes a fine contrast to chargrilled pieces of fatty pork jowl and pork larb. Then there’s the massaman beef, a rich curry that’s sweet, spice-fragrant and unctuous in all the right places. The short menu might be built on familiar dishes, but kitchen care from chef Art Bunraksa (ex-Long Chim, Wildflower, Hearth) and Dondanai “Pop” Suwannarod ensures the food is far from ordinary.

Shop 8, 258 Canning Highway, Bicton
rymtarng.com
@rymtarng

Spice Market, Karrinyup and Fremantle

Spice Market makes a strong case for shopping centre dining. The vibrant spot, on the west deck at Karrinyup Shopping Centre, banishes any memories of stuffy food courts and flimsy food trays. Instead, find a colourful dining room, novelty robot waiters and a technicolour menu spanning street food classics, curries and salads, as well as a healthy edit of plant-based dishes. Start with the khao kriep pak mor – translucent steamed rice dumplings stuffed with minced pork and served with a creamy coconut-sesame sauce. Whatever you order for mains, it’ll be a generous serving packed with flavours – from the herby Wagyu larb to the choose-your-own-heat som tum salad, with its chilli-drenched strips of green papaya.

Shop FC0203, Karrinyup Shopping Centre, Karrinyup
spicemarketthai.com

S&T Thai Gourmet Cafe, Perth

S&T is a fuss-free Thai diner that’s packed with expats during most lunch hours. Most of the regulars have their go-to here. But it’s the soupy dishes like guay tiew nam tok (boat noodles with a thick, beefy broth) and tom saep (a tom yum-like beef soup from Isan) that have earned the most praise. While the latter has tender braised pork, it’s the aromatic fresh coriander and lemongrass that hit your senses and keep you diving your spoon into the herby broth for more.

In a neighbourhood full of options, S&T stands out with its aromatic boat noodles, share-friendly Thai hotpot and efficient service. And, as any Northbridge stalwart must, it expertly handles rush-hour lunch lines, families seeking a reasonably priced meal and partygoers readying for a night out.

And soup-free dishes are treated with just as much love. Pork is sliced, blanched and topped with a garlic-chilli paste and lemon juice in the popular moo manao. And in the spicy guey tiew pad kee mao (also known as drunken noodles), flat noodles are served in a saucy stir-fry with a heavy hand of basil. The som tum is as punchy and spicy as you’ll find in Thailand.

You can back up the spicy dishes with refreshing drinks like coconut water and Thai milk tea, and there’s the option to BYO beer and wine. Finish with house-made ice-cream in flavours like Thai tea, green tea and durian served with sticky rice and a sprinkling of roasted peanut on top.

347 William Street, Perth
@st_thaicafe