Pad Thai, Melbourne CBD by Big Fil

Around Melbourne the rule of thumb is that if it’s served in a food court it’s going to be mediocre at best, abysmal at worst.  While that might generally be accurate there are a few exemptions which can surprise you, if you have the patience to seek them out.  A shining light in this regard is the arcade just next to the Target store on Bourke Street, which has a couple of places that I’m always happy to eat at.  One of these is Pad Thai.

Something which always stands out about this place is the number of Thais who eat here, a very positive sign that the food is good.  It also feels very similar to what you get in Thailand as well, and if you don’t like your food fairly spicy I’d suggest you ask for it mild.  The actual dining area has been remodelled recently and feels closer to café dining than food court.  And service wise, it’s always nice when your enthusiastic waitress beams at you after taking your order.


Once I find something I like I have a bad habit of sticking with it until I get sick of it.  In this case at Pad Thai it means the minced pork with basil on rice, served with a soft fried egg on top.  I love the smell of the fried basil as the dish is placed on the table, and mixing in the still runny yolk into the pork and rice.  It’s almost a comfort food for me and I’ve ordered it nearly every time I’ve been here.  The cooks don’t hold back on the chilli for farang and I usually get it medium spicy, which is about perfect for me.


It’s a bit too spicy for Snooze though, and she went for the Thai style fried rice.  It was something I hadn’t tried from here before, and while Snooze didn’t particularly like it I found it nicely light and fluffy, flavoured by the bits of sausage mixed in with the rice.  Not as good as my favourite basil pork on rice but still a perfectly satisfactory lunch.



Overall
It’s not fine dining but it’s significantly better than you really expect to get for Melbourne Food Court Thai.  The range of dishes is respectable, it’s cooked fresh for you and the flavours are punchy.  Really does remind me of eating in Thailand.

Verdict
Food – 7.5
Ambience – 7
Service – 7
Price – 7.5

Address
Shop 38A, Midtown Plaza
246 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9639 6868