Update 15/06/2023: Bangkok Rain is now closed.
With a Friday evening of birthday gift baking lined up, Cindy wanted to grab a quick meal somewhere near home so that she'd have some energy left. Our first option, Sippers, has basically ditched the food side of their operation, so we were left to explore the rest of that Rathdowne Street strip. We were tempted by De Orchid's replacement, but once we saw that Bangkok Rain had a whole vegetarian menu, we decided that we might as well try some Thai.
Cindy started things off with a weird rosella-flavoured Thai herbal drink. She said it was basically a cordial and the rosella didn't really knock her socks off - tamarind next time.
I couldn't resist a curry - green curry tofu (tofu, snow peas, carrots, round beans, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk and bamboo shoots, $11.90). It was rich and coconutty, light on the chilli and very runny. The kaffir lime leaves were probably the dominant flavour. There were plenty of vegies and tofu chunks hidden in the sauce, and I was quite content with the meal without ever feeling amazed by it.
Cindy, typically, picked something battered: crispy fried tofu in batter in a sweet, sour and spicy sauce, with carrots, beans, snow peas, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions and coriander ($11.90). The sweet was the strongest of the three flavours - the sauce coming off like a homemade sweet-chilli sauce, with just a mild chilli bite and a hint of sourness. The crispy tofu was as delicious as you'd expect, and Cindy had a similar verdict to me: good without being memorable.
At $12 a meal, Bangkok Rain represents a significant saving over local rivals like Penang Affair, and their food is pretty good value for money. It's not a place that Cindy and I will be raving to friends about but it's a nice local option to have for nights where we're too lazy to cook or venture far from home.Address: 176 Rathdowne Street, Carlton
Ph: 9347 7487
Licensed and BYO (wine only)
Price: Vegie mains: $11.90, entrees $8-$10
Website: http://www.bangkokrain.com/ (although the vegie menu isn't on their website).
Nice, Cindymichael! I meant... Michael!
ReplyDeleteIs the green curry spicy?
Not at all - not spicy enough actually.
ReplyDeletewhat a shame Sippers isnt doing food anymore - I really like that place!
ReplyDeleteHey Sugar Junkie - it is indeed a shame! I think they're still willing to cater private functions but the days of popping 'round for some bar snacks seem to be over. :-(
ReplyDeleteBrief update - we just ordered some other dishes takeaway (mussuman curry, cashew & veg stir-fry , som tum salad) and were very happy with them. We'll be returning!
ReplyDelete