If you’re sick of the usual brunch basics, then you’re doing it wrong. Those who have travelled to anywhere in Asia know that breakfast doesn’t have to involve muesli, eggs Benedict or even (gasp) avo toast. A visit to Singapore, Vietnam or Thailand will see locals smashing delicious bowls of steaming broth or fresh rice noodles for their morning meal, and it’s about time we saw more of it around here, don’t you think?
If you’re Sydney-based, then you’re probably already in love with Haymarket’s , run by dynamic mother/daughter duo Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson of Chat Thai notoriety, but if you’re in Melbourne, you’re not out of luck.
Richmond’s Victoria Street is home to some of the city’s favourite Vietnamese haunts, but there’s room for some pretty Thai-riffic (yeah, we went there) food, too.
has amassed a loyal following for their produce-respecting take on Thai cuisine throughout the day and night but if you’re out to break that evening fast, then you should check out Jinda’s little sister, . If you’re feeling out of your comfort zone, never fear – you’ll still find a few familiar offerings and plenty of coffee to soothe those morning nerves.
Start with a classic Thai coffee sweetened with condensed milk while you scan the menu; everything is made in-house including the adorable, pillow-soft mini loaves of bread, perfect with Kaya coconut jam. But the fun really starts where the savoury begins.
For those dipping a toe in, Kai Gra Ta (Thai baked eggs) are a good way to start – an Issan-style dish consisting of two fried eggs served sunny-side in the skillet with savoury mince and Chinese sausage.
If you’re carb loading, we suggest the Kao Pad Hor Kai: wok-smoky fried rice and plump prawns wrapped in a thin omelette. There’s congee studded with plump pork meatballs and its Thai cousin, Jasmine rice soup, served with fragrant ginger, gently poached barramundi fillet and spring onions.
But if you’re going to do it right, a bowl of cleansing broth, chewy rice noodles and tender pork ribs cooked gently until the collagen-rich cartilage is edible, will cure what ails you.
Premika, second generation of the Tanpapat family running the Jinda/Oneyada show, says: “We opened in 2016 and it’s been a lot of Thai and Asian customers, but we are happy to see more and more Australian customers coming every day. We want to offer Thai breakfast and lunch to the Melbourne café scene, showing true traditional flavours.”
A steaming broth, chewy rice noodles and tender pork ribs making for a comforting Thai brekkie bowl. Source: Melissa Leong
Nobody needs to tell us twice that it’s cool to eat noodles for breakfast.
Daily 8am - 3pm
239 Victoria St, Abbotsford VIC
