MEALS, MARKETS and MORE

POP-UP FOOD REVIEW

by A. Tablehopper

Nambour Thai Kitchen - 2/15 Arundell Ave, Nambour

• 

• 

• 

I am an ‘average joe’ who enjoys good food, not a food critic by profession, so excuse my lack of fancy terminology! I have not been paid to promote anyone – I am simply sharing my opinion on the hinterland eateries I visit, for their service/ambience and presentation/flavour. 

On an unsuspecting corner of Nambour, opposite the Suncoast Vet, is The Nambour Thai Kictchen. I had never been, but friends had mentioned it often. Unpretentious, authentic, unassuming, these are words that spring to mind after our recent visit.

More importantly, the food is worthy of the praise – but remember to BYO! (Annoyingly I didn’t know beforehand, and had to stick to water with my meal.)

I opted for Pad See Ew – stir-fried flat rice noodle with eggs, carrot, and Chinese broccoli. The depth of flavor was surprising for such a relatively simple meal, and everything tasted fresh, with a blend of soft noodles and crunchy vegetables.

One friend had the Sweet Chili Jam Combo, with stir-fried chicken, beef, pork and prawn with mixed vegetables, chili jam, cashew nut, shallots and roasted sun-dried chili. It sounds a lot, but apparently the portion size and balance between ingredients was spot on, the chili ‘kick’ was perfect.

The other member of our small party had the Pad Prik Khing Belly – a stir-fried crispy pork belly with Prik Khing curry paste, green beans, carrots and capsicum. She also ordered a side bowl coconut rice, stating Thai Kitchen’s coconut rice was ‘the best’ she’s ever had! Her meal was rich in flavour, with a heartiness to it, and very filling.

Also on the menu and seen at other tables was a delicious Laksa noodle soup - thin rice noodles in coconut milk soup with bean sprouts, veggies and topped with shallots and fried onion, and, my choice next time, Green Curry - spicy curry cooked with coconut milk ,mixed vegetables, bamboo shoots and basil.

It’s a small venue, just a handful of tables, and the lighting could be a bit more atmospheric, plus I certainly would add some music, but as my friends said, that’s part of its authenticity. They’ve both been to Thailand and said Thai Kitchen feels like it’s been teleported to Nambour from over there. 

The value for money was pretty good, and probably because no alcohol was involved, it was a much lower bill than expected! The service was friendly, but there was quite a long wait for the meals, perhaps because it’s a busy takeaway as well, but they could improve on that – especially if we are just sitting there with glasses of water.  

If you like decent Thai food, you’re not too fussed about plush surroundings, and you like supporting a small family business, this is possibly the place for you.