Golden Boy - 2013
Welcome to Golden Boy, The Botanic Bar’s latest venture into late night Thai food. Nu Suandokmai - the former chef of Nu Thai, joins the team and clearly demonstrates his expertise in the kitchen.
Weeknight dining with my foodie friend Emma (of More Than Churches) and damn…Adelaide’s in the know - the small restaurant is bursting at the seams!
The walls flooded with green and purple lighting, with a long tiled table occupying the centre of the room, the dining area exudes sophistication. Its relatively cramped, but they’ve utilised the space effectively.
Seated up at the bar, it gave Emma and I a chance to chat with the bar staff and familiarise ourselves with the extensive menu. The young lad serving us was terrific, very friendly and had considerable knowledge of the menu - offering great suggestions while not making us feel hurried in the slightest.
We started off with the “crunchy school - prawns with coconut cream butter” - The deep fried prawns were superb, featuring an amazingly fresh crunch while the prawns were tender…teamed flawlessly with the rich sauce.
The Salt and pepper tofu appeared next - now….I’ve had my fair share of this vegetarian staple around Adelaide, and Golden Boys version certainly didn’t disappoint.
The silkiness of the tofu was a delight to savour, while the crisp exterior was light; letting the velvety interior work flawlessly with the chilli and coriander. So far, so good.
Moving onto the larger dishes we opted for the Massaman Curry with kipfler potatoes and roasted peanuts.
Truly exemplifying Nu Suandokmai’s incredible versatility, the curry delivered on all fronts. The beef was tender combining very well with the potatoes and peanuts - very much a Thai staple, superbly done.
I judge a Thai restaurant on how good its Pad Thai is - and thankfully Golden Boy delivered in spades.
The noodles were succulent, while the chicken, peanuts, tofu and garlic chives worked in perfect unison. Not much else to say expect is was surely matching flavours with some of the best in Thai eateries in Adelaide. Approach with caution (and with an appetite) as the serving size is significant.
We also ordered a side of Chinese broccoli and steamed rice - no complaints!
People of Adelaide - I urge you…..give Golden Boy a chance. Genuine Thai food in a tasteful urban setting with well trained staff that understand the menu - the atmosphere might not be to everyone’s liking as it is rather loud, but this exciting new eatery is ticking many boxes & certainly deserves your consideration!
