Home Thai Restaurant, Chinatown

There is House in Surry Hills, and now there is Home on Sussex Street in Chinatown.

What's next ? Dining Room ? ROFL

For the past 3 weeks, it has been the hot topic amongst us, "Is Home open yet ? Is it open yet ?".

Every time we drove or walk pass this place for the past weeks, we can see the open kitchen is bustling, delicious looking foods are sprawled all over their dining tables, but the sign on the door is "CLOSED".

One of my friend who just couldn't hold her curiosity anymore actually knocked on the door to inquire whether they open or not. I think what she wanted to say to them is stop teasing us already and open up LOL

She was then told that they are just trialling their menu and training their staffs, sort of like a mock service run.

Very smart idea to lure in potential customers, the doors are glass from top to bottom, so a lot of passerby are attracted by what's going on inside :)

While perusing the menu, I noticed several items that are very familiar to me. My hometown of Pontianak in West Borneo, is mainly populated by the Teo Chew people (I'm one obviously :P), and as to my knowledge some of the Thai Chinese are also Teo Chew.

A few of the entrees here are exactly the same as what I can find back home - eating at Home makes me want to go Home ! LOL

Kui Chay

Or as we call it back home , Chai Kwe (loosely translated : vegetable cake), very similar naming don't you think ?

What it is is dumpling made from rice and tapioca flour, it has a little more bite to it. The filling is made from garlic chives and then topped with garlic oil with crispy garlic bits.

To our surprise, the taste is the same too ! Now we know where to find them in Sydney when we crave for some.

The versions we have in Indonesia has various fillings, such as jicama, taro and mung beans.

Inside Kui Chay

Taking orders on an iPad

How cool is that ! Using iPads instead of the usual handheld palms to key in the orders.  That's not all, the sling back they are carrying the iPads in...wait for it....Louis Vuitton ( okay, may not be the real deal but it's still "LV") !!

Perhaps when the restaurant is quite they can play Where's Wally on it :P

Pla Jien
Deep Fried Barramundi with Pork Belly, Mushroom, Ginger, Garlic Shallots, Celery, Soy & Oyster Sauce, Sesame Oil

"The fish is big!" said the waitress when we ordered this. Both of us nodded in acknowledgement - is okay, we can do big fish.  It is VERY big when there is only two girls are eating it LOL !

The fish was deep fried till crispy whilst the meat is still soft. The pork belly is not what I had expected, I was imagining crispy pork belly when I ordered this dish. Instead it was just some sliced pork meat, not sure if it's belly or not, definitely not the crispy ones :(

Once again, the flavours in this dish is just like what my mom would make at home :) 

Fish, ginger, mushrooms, soy sauce and sesame oil is a fail proof combo.

Pu Nim Yung Mamuang
Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with Mango Salad

"I hug you mango salad", said the soft shell crab....

There were generous portion of the soft shell crab, one and half decently sized crabs, lightly battered and deep fried. Crunchy and not to oily at all. 

The mango salad is refreshing and very good indeed, sweet and sour and to our relief not too spicy *phew*.

The flavours were just right and helps lighten up the otherwise too heavy dish :)

Par Tuhng Go
Deep Fried Dough Sticks served with Pandan Coconut Sauce

Although our stomachs were on the brink of exploding , we just couldn't help ordering this dessert :P

Just wanted to see if its comparable to the ones in Chat Thai, if they are, then we don't have to wait till 10.00pm to have it at Chat Thai anymore ho...ho....ho...

The verdict ?  Chat Thai's Par Tuhng Go is still the one to beat.

Home's version is not as pillowy, quite hollow if I might say and it was quite oily, squeezable oil kind of oily. The pandan coconut sauce is also not as thick and creamy as well.

Looks like I still have to stay up late for some good Par Tuhng Go.

Since they have just open this week, the service although friendly and courteous, is still hit and miss when comes to delivering the foods to the table. 

We arrived just before the dinner rush so we did get our orders quickly. Those that arrived during dinner rush had to wait for their orders longer than we did.  

I'm sure they will pick up the pace in no time at all, this new Thai eatery is a great addition to the otherwise Chinese / Japanese eateries dominated Sussex Street.

Home is a two storey restaurants, so there are plenty of tables around which means less waiting time should you go during rush hours. 

The only minus point here though, is the small dining table. We were seated on a small round table that is meant to sit 4 people. There were only two of us dining, and we had to put our glasses, rice bowl and one dish on the spare chairs. Imagine if there were 4 people seating....we might have to balance the plates on our laps.

Need bigger tables or smaller plates or you have to play move the foods around LOL

View of the open kitchen from the street