Thai by the Beach

For plenty of people, The Beach was their first experience of Thailand. While Leo Di Caprio and co might not have done what they did for the food of Southeast Asia what they did for the public perception of their natural beauty, Thai by the Beach are certainly doing after the fact. Their take on the cuisine of their homeland is an authentic taste of Thailand in the heart of Sydney, with a menu that is heavy on the favourites. Take a trip to The Grand Parade in Brighton le Sands, right by the airport, for a Thai treat in Sydney – just remember to book ahead, as they have been known to get quite crowded on occasion.

Thai food is seems like a simple business on the surface, but only the best of the best chefs can get it down to perfection. The freshness of ingredients is important, but it is the balance of flavours that gives Thai cuisine that unique taste, and to achieve it, you need a real technician in the kitchen. Saltiness, the product of oyster sauce and soy sauce, must be combined in exact proportions with spice, derived from chillies, and sourness, whether from tamarind or from citrus fruits such as lemon or lime must be offset by sweetness, taken from palm sugar and coconut milk. Get these elements correct and you’re onto a winner. As far as winning goes, they’ve got a veritable championship team down at Thai By The Beach on The Grand Parade in Sydney’s Brighton le Sands.

Their menu is packed with Thai favourites – stir fries, red and green curries, spring rolls, pad thai noodles et al – but we’d like to focus on the lesser known dishes that truly test the kitchen staff at Thai by the Beach in Brighton le Sands. There are crystal prawns, wrapped in chicken mince and pastry before being deep fried and grilled lamb in plum sauce, which nods towards a Chinese influence. A mixed seafood stir fry with chilli jam is a house signature, and you’d be mad to miss out on the duck palo, with a thick Thai gravy and steamed veggies. Book a table for you and your mates and then make the move over to The Grand Parade for a meal to remember at Thai by the Beach.