Chalawan is the latest baby on the block which has been opened for a few weeks and serves modern Thai cuisine in a rocking venue. When you step inside, the decor was fantabulous with great artwork a plentiful. At the entrance of the venue were seating for dinners and there was a bar towards the back.

Whilst waiting for the food to come out, we were graced with a crocktail ‘Dear Jasmine’ which had gin, pavan, cinnamon and jasmine. This was so refreshing AND tastilicious! I LOVE LOVE LOVED it!

Dear Jasmine

The first course came out which was the pla pla (Bonito king fish ceviche) and this was AWESOME SAUCE. It was a touch on the spicy side so beware if you’re a weak chili eater like me.

Pla Pla
Bonito king fish ceviche / roasted chili jam / roasted coconut flake

Miss Underaged (she just looks young and isn’t really underage) was waiting for the tom kha hoy shell (pan seared scallops in a frothy tom kah broth) and was super duper excited when her spotted the next dish coming our way. The scallops were succulent and so plump and fresh. The broth was so AMAZEBALL that I could literally have bathed in it. It was so aromatic and light and bursting of flavour.

Tom Kha Hoy Shell
Pan seared Canadian scallops with crispy mushrooms / radishes and pomegranate on frothy tom kha broth

The sai oua (pork sausage) came around and we found it to be super salty. The pork crackling was AWESOME though, very crunchy and crispy and not too hard.

Sai Oua
Home made Northern Thailand style spiced Victorian pork sausage with roasted young chili relish and pork crackling

I’m not a fan of oysters but when the hoy tord came around, the oysters were deep friend and was oh so delish. It was so juicy on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. The smoked chili sauce gave it a zing and with the combination with the oysters, it was SMOKING! I loved it so much that I went back for seconds.

Hoy Tord
Deep fried freshly shuck Coffin Bay oyster served with lightly pickled beansprout / Chalawan’s smoked chili sauce and chinese chive

I know that you’re not meant to make friends with salad but when you see the Kahi Loog Koey, you’ll want to be more than friends with salad. The green salad with had caramelised palm sugar and tamarind juice dressing which was refreshing with a twinge of sweetness. The star of the dish was the poached then fried egg which oozed out yellow goodness perfectly. I could say with confidence that this was my favourite dish for the night.

Khai Loog Koey
Poached then fried Willowzen pasture fed free range egg served with crunchy green salad with caramelised palm sugar and tamarind juice dressing

Miss Underaged was waiting all night for the Kanom Jeen Neua which was the 10h braised beef cheek with rice noodles. The beef cheek was oh so tender and literally melts in your mouth. The green curry was a touch spicy but it wasn’t as heavy most green curries were which was a lovely surprise.

Kanom Jeen Neua
10 hours braised O’Conner beef cheek, green curry with rambutan and Thai rice noodle

The last dish of the night was the smoked pork belly with te poh curry and crispy rice cake. I’m not a huge fan of pork belly in general but judging from Miss Underaged, she thought it was quite average.

Gaeng Te Poh Moo Sam Chun
Meatsmith’s house smoked pork belly with te poh curry with chinese spinach / caramelised seasonal stone-fruits and crispy rice cake

Chalawan might be new in town but judging from their menu, they have a lot to offer and can give the local eateries a run for their money. The hip and happening vibes, cool decor and awesome crocktails on show, who could say no to this little pop and locking venue. I’ll definitely be back Chalawan and I’ll be sure to devour all that salad!

Disclaimer: I was honoured to be invited by Chalawan and Zilla & Brook Publicity and Production and all opinions expressed are my own.

102 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Tel: (03) 9078 9532
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