LOCATIONA short walk from the Brisbane CBD.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIASawadee Ka’s zesty, authentic cuisine has been influenced by regions all over the “land of smiles”, with the restaurant's chef originally from eastern Thailand. The fresh, aromatic herbs and spices traditionally associated with Thai cuisine, such as lemongrass, crushed chilli and sweet basil, play through the abundance of dishes on the menu, much to the delight of diners' tastebuds. Catch a glimpse of a colourful, steaming garlic, pepper and vegetable stir-fry as the waitress dashes past your table to a fellow diner. The delectable satay gai – grilled chicken strips marinated in a warm peanut and coconut milk sauce – is a great little starter and a foretaste of what is to come.
Rustic timber booths line the main wall, providing an intimate and comfortable atmosphere, which encourages you to relax over a spicy tom yum goong soup swimming with king tiger prawns. The restaurant's location is perfect for dinner prior to catching a show or a movie at South Bank. Traditional curries gang keow (green) and spicy gang dang (red) are customarily served alongside big bowls of sweet, fragrant jasmine rice. Rich, creamy laksas full of noodles, tofu and bean sprouts will leave you as content and satisfied as the chubby golden Buddha adorning the restaurant wall.
Katharine Chapman