Chat Thai – Haymarket, Sydney CBD, NSW
Chat Thai staff making Som Dtum using a mortar and pestle behind the open kitchen
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Listen up Sydney, we need more restaurants that open late for supper please.
It seems like a common dilemma for most Sydneysiders who are looking for a meal after 10pm but find themselves with no where to go. Living in Sydney amid the cultural melting pot with an amazing array of restaurants but somehow still lack of late night supper hangouts is laughable and sad.
There are some, but not many. Mamak in haymarket is a restaurant that opens late, well loved by Sydney food bloggers. Chat Thai is another. If you are planning to go to either one of them for a late night supper, be prepared to join in the long queue, which can be up to 45 mins wait sometimes. Helen, Karen and I rock up at Chat Thai in haymarket, while Richard and Yas are already here with a number token in hand waiting to be called.
A troop of Chat Thai staffs are packed like sardines, busy preparing food in the open kitchen at the entrance of the restaurant. All the action behind the glass window is always entertaining which makes the long wait less painful.
From left to right - Loot Shong coconut milk drink with pandan noodles - 3.50; Kaffe yen- iced coffee - 3.50; cha nomh - Thai red iced tea - 3.00
Our number is finally called and soon we find ourselves inside this bustling restaurant, working our way through the maze of tables and chairs to get to our table upstairs. We all deserve a victory toast with some local Thai drinks after a long hard battle to secure a table at Chat Thai. The baby green Loot Shong coconut milk drink is a sweet aromatic drink with coconut milk that comes with a fat straw to suck up all the slippery green pandan noodles inside. The Kaffe yen is not as strong as the iced coffee you will get in a cafe, but sweeter from the heavy condensed milk they used. The popular red iced tea in a bright orange hue provides a refreshing intense sweetness slowly mellows down to a subtle tea bitterness.
Som DTum - Green papaya smattered in the mortar and pestle with lime juice, dried shrimps, green beans, bird’s eye chilli and cherry tomatoes. - 8.00
We simply can’t go past the Som Dtum to start off our meal this evening. The notorious fiery hot green papaya salad is pounded and bruised in a mortar and pestle along with lime juice, chilli padi, a sprinkle of crispy dried shrimps, crunchy raw green beans and sweet cherry tomatoes which doesn’t really help to tone down the hotness of the dish. Me and Helen are happily devouring the salad with sticky rice but you can never be too careful. Once bitten, twice shy; Karen had to double check to confirm it is not too spicy for her palate as she had her first encounter with this deadly dish at I-san City.
Crying Tiger - grilled marinated beef served mediuam rare, accompanied with nahm jim jeaw - 12.00
The meat dish we’ve ordered is the Crying Tiger, a name that I simply can’t ignore. The strips of beef are marinated then grilled to an amazing smokiness but I do find the meat is rather well done than the medium rare as promised. With a name like this, I was expecting it to blow my head off, but it actually comes with a chopped green bird’s eye chillies dipping sauce (nahm jim jeaw) on the side, so you can adjust the spiciness according to one’s tolerance level.
Lemon grass snapper - salt and soy marinated whole snapper fried to with shredded fried lemongrass, galangal and pepper. Served with fresh chilli relish - 28.00
I usually do not fancy ordering fish at restaurants unless is fresh whole fish on the menu. We decided to order the lemon grass snapper which is an excellent choice. The snapper is marinated in a simple salt and soy combo then deep fried to an amazing golden crispy skin on the outside while the white flesh is still moist and succulent. The fish is covered with lots of fried lemongrass floss, cashew nuts and deep fried basil leaves. I am simply in awe with the many layers of crunchiness in one dish.
I also have inherited my dad’s habit of eating a fish, everyone thinks I am crazy while they see me happily nibbling on the crunchy edible small bones and fins. It is simply my favourite dish of the night.
Khao Pad - stir fry of rice, chicken, eggs, chinese broccoli, onions and shallots in a light soy sauce seasoning - 12.00
Poor Karen who can’t really handle spicy food too well and opt for a Khao Pad as a consolation alternative to break away from all the spicy food. The fluffy white rice is stir fried in a light soy seasoning with chicken, scrambled eggs, chinese broccoli and shallots. Although the fried rice is flavoursome, it is not as intense and fragrant as the one from I-San City which is now sadly missed.
Iced bread - 6.00
You can’t come to Chat Thai without taking a peek at the extensive dessert menu. I was mesmerised by the sheer beauty of a huge pyramid of shaved ice in red syrup at one of the tables as I walked in. We actually couldn’t find anything on the menu that really described that particular dessert, so we asked the waitress what we are looking for. Only soon to be told that it is simply called the Iced Bread. A huge mount of shaved ice is sitting on a bed of soft bread, which both happily soaking up all the intense rose water syrup and condensed milk. A few palm seeds here and there provides something to chew on.
“Brain freeze!” It is like watching Homer Simpson in real life with Yas banging his head with both fists until the brain freeze subsided, then he goes for another scoop of the iced bread and the whole comical moment happens over and over again. As the iced bread starting to melt, it becomes a puddle of sickening sweet syrup, we simply have to stop.
Par Tuhng Go - pillowy flash fried dough sticks with sangkaya - a coconut milk custard made with jus abstracted from fresh pandan leaves - 6.90
There are certain desserts that are only available after 9.30pm. We are so happy when the waitress told us that the Par Tuhng Go is now available for ordering. It resembles the Chinese “yiu tiao”, these miniature pillowy fried dough sticks are still piping hot with a golden crunchy exterior while inside is filled with air pockets, soft and fluffy. It is served with a saucer of sangkaya, a dipping kaya custard that is made with coconut milk and pandan leaves.
If you are lucky, you might able to check out the making of Par Tuhng Go in action at the front kitchen. I dare you not to salivate and drool in front of the glass window.
Pakim Kai Tao
The friendly waitress introduced us to a dessert which is off the menu which we are happily accepted and give it a try. The Pakim Kai Tao is a sweet creamy coconut soup with chewy salty fat coconut cream noodle in white and palm sugar noodle in brown. The whole idea of combining sweet and salty flavours together does take some time to get used to. I actually find it very interesting and moreish, but others not so keen.
sticky rice with mango - 7.50
The sticky rice with mango is the last dessert of this evening. Thanks to the new mango season just hit the market, the halved mango slices are sweet and refreshing atop a bed of sticky rice sweetened with coconut milk. But I am already full to the brim at this point and only so much sticky rice I can handle in one night.
As we walk out the restaurant, no surprise to see another batch of customers are queuing in line, hypnotized by the pah tuhng go deep frying action in the open kitchen while waiting for a table patiently.
It is just another typical supper night at Chat Thai in Sydney.
Chat Thai - Haymarket 20 Campbell Street, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney Tel: +61 (02) 9211 1808 Opening hours: Open seven days Lunch: 10am-5pm Dinner: 5pm-10pm Supper: 9.30pm-2am
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
I am so dissappointed with my last visit that I haven’t been back. Looking at your photos, I’m actually drooling and am so tempted to go back. Hmm dessert run tonight?
You were disappointed because you had to wait so long, but did you eventually got inside? The food is pretty decent I must say.
Yes Chat Thai seems to be our new go-to place. I thought I was starting to get a little sick of the place but hmmmm your photos make me want to go all over again! And lol at Yas and Homer comparison! Yes yes indeed!
I am still yet to go through all the items on the menu. Now some just commented that the lunch menu is totally different again!
I REALLY REALLY REALLY want Thai food now….!!!
.-= Iron Chef Shellie´s last blog ..Gingerbread House =-.
Ahhhhh I get such huge cravings for the fried dough with sangkaya, it’s so good, it gets me excited in the pants!
.-= Steph´s last blog ..Christmas Tree Cupcakes =-.
Last time I came was eating a banquet, even though we had no choice it was crap! Will have to come back (tonight ?) and try the food properly.
.-= Howard´s last blog ..Saké Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks =-.
hi!
great pics there! I’m new to your blog. I swear I was sitting next to you guys that night when you guys were at Chat Thai just recently! Cos all my friends were asking ‘ my gosh all that flash’ hehe..but yes you should try the Pork Belly next time 
yums
Ahhhh I can’t believe I still haven’t been here! The queues tend to scare me away but I’m dying to try their desserts
.-= Jacq´s last blog ..Malay-Chinese Takeaway, Sydney =-.
It’s a shame there aren’t more places open this late, especially considering the number of Asians we have here.
Love snapper and especially flounder served in this fashion above. Until recently, I’d throw away all the bones & fins, not knowing what I was missing out on! Not a fan at all of eating prawn shells but fried fish bones I would definitely do!
)
I love sticky rice – the sweet sticky rice with toasted sesame seeds, I made some on the weekend to satisfy my cravings
.-= Anita´s last blog ..Lemon Tasting Plate and the MasterChef Cookbook =-.
I’m still scarred that I wasn’t able to get the dough sticks with sangkaya two nights in a row back in early Dec. I’m scared to go back in case I get rejected again….
Your photos ain’t helping either
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Pistachio Butter Cookies (for the lazy in all of us) =-.
I love Chat Thai! Its my fav late nite thai place…I reckon the best thai dessert place in sydney for me!
.-= chinesechic´s last blog ..Sad and Heartwarming Stories…酒肝袒卖无与慰安妇阿嫲的一日空姐记…元慰安婦エアホステスの一日.. =-.
I’ve only ever been here for dinner, not dessert or supper. Can’t believe the queue is constantly that long! Must be evidence of some great stuff =)
.-= mademoiselle délicieuse´s last blog ..Ju Ju, 25 Aug 2009 =-.
Seriously, the Thai food in Sydney is soooooooo much better than the crap we get here. My Thai food is much better than the ones served at restaurant. Thai food in Sydney rocks, even Modern Thai at that fancy place I forgot its name with eggnet salad thingy.
.-= Rasa Malaysia´s last blog ..Wheat Mantou (馒头) =-.
I actually find their lunch much more appealing, as it is so cheap and the portions just as generous. There are also some things on the lunch menu which disappear from the dinner menu if I remember correctly.
you know after looking at your photos, I want to start taking without flash. haha! chat thai is a real good supper place, we don’t have much restaurants/cafe that open till so late here
.-= ladyironchef´s last blog ..Twelve days in Sydney (Part 3): Hunter Valley =-.
Hahha Simon
And mmm I want me some iced bread! Hee hee you and Yas were alternating having brain freezes, twas hilarity!
.-= FFichiban´s last blog ..est. – Sydney CBD, Sydney =-.
OMG sticky rice my absolute favourite. I havent had the chance to try Chat Thai yet but I definately will now. Great pics.
.-= Katherine´s last blog ..The Counter – Custom Built Burgers =-.
Wow, the food looks super good, especially that iced bread.
It is a sad city that doesn’t have a selection of “after hours” eateries.
.-= Nate´s last blog ..Fruits of Serian =-.
Who are you referring to Homer? D’oh!
.-= Yas @ hungry.digital.elf´s last blog ..Quick visit to Neo Tokyo. =-.
Finally braved the waiting line last night, and don’t regret it at all! Everything was delicious, especially the fried dough sticks with sangkaya, genius! I’ll be back
Sandra @The French Wench´s last [type] ..Soupe au Pistou