Baan Latsamy Thai Restaurant in Manuka sets a new standard for Thai Restaurants in the Capital. My dining expectations for the week were surpassed with flying colours and I’m still reeling with wonderment as to why this place isn’t more widely publicised. Sadly (and embarrassingly) like many Australians, I have occasionally slipped into the disgusting habit of grouping any meal containing soy sauce or noodles under the incorrect and assuming blanket of “Asian Cuisine.” On a technicality, I wouldn’t be completely incorrect, but after dining at Baan Latsamy I’ve well and truly seen the error of my ways and will never make the dreaded “blanket assumption” again. The food here is fresh, different and unlike any other I’ve tried in Canberra. The decor is beautiful, wine list sophisticated, staff friendly and the menu… well, you just have to read on – or try it yourself.
Spring rolls here aren’t the thick, golden, grease seeping logs of premature cardiac arrest so idiosyncratically confused with Asian inspired cuisine. The Laotian rolls (#11) are a serving of 4 deep fried rice paper rolls containing minced chicken, vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs and vegetables, all presented with delicately carved carrot flower and chilli sauce, upon a pristine white plate cushioned lovingly by soft folds of lettuce and assorted baby green leafery. The deep fried rice paper resembles a whimsical tempura swirl of the finest lace and the crisp, fragile exterior doesn’t smother the Moorish taste of a truly delectable filling. Peppered with fresh herbs, juicy chicken mince and glassy gossamer threads of vermicelli evenly throughout, it’s easily the best spring roll this side of Thailand.
Next to arrive table side was the Chef’s special of Crispy Noodle-Wrapped Prawn. Large coral curls of creamy tender prawns were threaded onto skewers and swaddled completely in strands of savoury sunshine-gold crispy noodles. A peanut-hued sauce of thickset satay and gleaming red pool of sweet chilli sauce accompanied the glorious installation, making for the perfect pairing to the texturally enthralling experience of crunching greedily through to a surprisingly soft centre of unspoiled, porcelain toned creamy crustacean.
The drunken style noodles with duck, (#50) is definitely a bench-mark setting example of the Thai Restaurant classic. Fried drunken style rice noodles with Bok Choy, onion, fresh chilli, basil leaves and bean curd are tossed together with mouth-wateringly juicy slithers of roast duck and piled high on a generous plate perfect for sharing. Surely one of the most visually appealing dishes to grace the menu, this stunning cacophony of vibrant green, sunshine yellow, brilliant orange, flaming reds and pale white all glistened harmoniously under a warm, sweet-yet-salty glaze, spiked with the seeping juices of a perfectly roasted duck.
A completely unexpected combination arrived next under the guise of The Creamy Prawn (#36). Prawns and assorted seasonal vegetables are fried with curry powder and coconut cream to create a velvety lake of pure pale-straw coloured delight. The unexpected element mentioned above was the overall texture and weight of the dish. Creamy curries, as most of us unfortunately know, are usually very thick, rich, heavy and spotted with unpleasant pools of excess oil – necessary for the cooking process but unappetising to both see and consume in an undiluted form. The #36 was incredibly light, subtly and delicately flavoured, (perfect for picky children and adults alike) displaying the flavour profile of the spice as opposed to its potential knock-out heat, and didn’t arrive as an overbearing sized portion – wonderful if you are averse to sharing and embarrassed at the thought of doggy bags.
Or final main for the night was The Three Season Fish (#34). Fried Ling fillets topped with 3 of the restaurants favourite sauces is a proven testament to the agreed notion simple is sometimes best. The fish was gloriously golden and ticked all the sweet, spicy, salty, sour boxes with perfect balance. Hints of sour Tamarind and a warm kick of chilli are immediately apparent, as further flavours develop the more you savour each bite. I usually stay well away from seafood unless I’m within close proximity to a fishing rod – but I’ve made a blatant exception to my usual immovable rule. If you enjoy Thai seafood without food poisoning – Baan Latsamy is definitely the place to be.
Dessert was a traditional Baan Latsamy speciality I’ve always been curious to try. Steamed black sticky rice topped with fresh mango and surrounded by an opaque pool of cooling coconut cream was the perfect way to end proceedings, with the rice possessing a warm, sticky bite juxtaposing with chalk-and-cheese perfection beneath the freshly cut seasonal cheek of mango.
I’ve endeavoured to tell anyone who will listen to jump ship from their usual go-to Thai restaurant and head down to Bann Latsamy. The food is clean, fresh and incredibly flavoursome which makes leaving the house to venture out for dinner more than worthwhile. Haven’t got time for a sit down meal? Never fear, their take-away menu is just as extensive as the sit down dining one – so now I can enjoy the best Thai in the City at home in my Pyjamas too. Bliss.
