Chat Thai

Chat Thai was originally founded in 1989, on Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst. But the chain – which has spots in Manly, Randwick, the CBD and Thaitown – isn't showing its age.

The restaurant has an entire menu dedicated to take-away food. If you're sticking around, you can enjoy goodies such as the variety of som dtum (papaya salad) which can be adjusted to your level of chilli appreciation, or the gaeng sohm cha-om goong (a sour orange tamarind curry of king prawns served with an omelette of acacia fronds).

The chargrilled chicken at Chat Thai, or gai yaang, is going to be your immediate and ultimate conversion to grilling in this style. It’s marinated with turmeric and lemongrass and then char grilled until crisp. It then arrives at your table with smoked chilli and sweet tamarind chutney.