Thai Thani is now under new management. It’s a phrase that often causes apprehension, but in this case it’s certainly not a bad thing. The husband and wife team previously started Pok Pok and Pok Pok Jr, running them successfully for 6 years before selling them, and breathing new life into Thai Thani instead. They’ve retained the name of the previous establishment, which has been running since 1986, but refurbished the restaurant and completely refreshed the menu.

The restaurant is set over two levels, with a large bar downstairs, and a fireplace to warm up the carpeted first floor. New wall murals make it a bright and colourful place to spend a meal.

Their Thai Espresso Martini has roasted peanut-infused Thai rum, coffee, condensed milk and chocolate bitters. The condensed milk creates a smooth flavour, and there’s crunch from peanuts floating on the surface. The Strawberry Kaffir Mule is a mixture of kaffir-infused vodka, strawberry, lime, ginger, and Vietnamese mint, which also makes it a great match for the food.

The Prawn and Crab Cakes come with a tangy and potently flavoured chilli plum sauce that we can’t get enough of. Crispy Mussel Pancake (Hoi Tod) comes with bean sprouts and sriracha sauce, and has a crispy exterior and a bit of chew on the inside. We only find four mussels inside, though they are quite large and juicy.

Grilled Wild Mushroom Salad (Larb Hed) has shimeji, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, Thai herbs, dry chilli flakes, ground roasted rice, and lime and soy dressing. We also add in slices of tender duck. We love the extra texture provided by the roasted rice, and the mushrooms have a beautiful charred flavour. Delicious.

The fragrance of coconut cream soon shrouds the table when the curries arrive. Grilled Hiramasa Kingfish Fillet is cooked in a banana leaf together with red curry paste, kaffir lime and sweet basil. Pickled veggies cut through the creaminess. The kitchen certainly doesn’t hold back on the chilli. We then come to the Choo Chee Curry with steamed veggies, coconut cream and lime leaf. The crispy skinned salmon fillet is nice and tender, and the heat of this curry is milder than that of the kingfish

Thai Thani gave us the best Thai meal we’ve had in a long time. The dishes, whether small or large, come with well balanced sauces and plenty of flavour. I wouldn’t hesitate to return if I were ever hankering for a Thai feed.

Disclaimer: I was invited to Thai Thani as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are based on my experience at the time

Thai Thani
293 Brunswick St
Fitzroy, VIC, 3065
(03) 9417 7416
https://thaithani.com.au/