Galangal

Besides being named, short and sweet, after the gingery Southeast Asian plant that’s an essential ingredient in the classic Thai tom yum goong and tom kha kai soups, Galangal is an award-winning legend in Perth’s restaurant landscape. The magic lies in Galangal’s ability to remain down to earth, offering a menu packed with traditional Thai dishes, while elevating the art of Thai cuisine to glamorous heights. The venue, up on the Mount Hawthorn stretch of Scarborough Beach Road, speaks volumes about the quality that the kitchen offers, too, with a dining room decked out in peerless style – white, starched tablecloths against rich, dark, wood-panelled walls. For a taste of Galangal’s upscale Thai dining experience, a reservation is essential.

These days, Galangal is more than a rising star among Perth restaurants, Southeast Asian or otherwise. Having taken out the national award for Best Thai Restaurant in the 2014 Savour Awards For Excellence competition, the reputation of this Mount Hawthorn Thai restaurant is secure. The food here is sensational and, originating from the so-called Land of Smiles, you can expect the service to match, each and every time. Open for dinner from 6pm to 10pm, Tuesday to Sunday, the restaurant’s excellence and relatively limited opening hours have made these tables up on Scarborough Beach Road some of the most sought after in the city. And what supports this fame?

The food. The delicious nouveau Thai cuisine that this restaurant serves up with endearing, understated artfulness. Start with the ‘Galloping Horses’, mar hor, balancing the sweet, savoury and nutty flavours of duck, ground shrimp and cashews atop pineapple slices, or go for the curious fusion of Thai-style beef carpaccio with larb dressing. Perth’s Southeast Asian seafood fans are recommended the pla rad prik, barramundi with a spicy garlic, chilli and tamarind sauce; vegetarians will love the wok-fried Asian greens or classic veggie pad Thai; even something as simple as fried rice with king prawns or the stir-fried beef Scotch fillet with chilli, Thai basil and snake beans go gourmet here in Mount Hawthorn.