Profiled by de Groots MediaSuree Thanissorn’s story is an amazing one. She migrated to Australia from a refugee camp in Thailand, met her husband Peter here, and introduced authentic Thai cuisine to Adelaide through the Bangkok Restaurant. When the pair moved to Suree’s Thai Kitchen in 2000, they retained their loyal following. Located in leafy Hyde Park, the charming Peter welcomes guests into a discerning decor: a gently-lit, softly-carpeted dining room with white linen table cloths and crisp napery. This relaxed atmosphere cossets you into settling down to savour Suree’s dishes. The menu has all the favourites like fish cakes, pad thai and green chicken curry; but the Mietta’s awards that adorn the walls ratify that Suree’s masterful cooking transcends the familiar.
The dishes coming out of this kitchen execute skillful spicing and homemade saucing. An entree of peppered quail finds this delicate bird marinated in a paste of pepper, garlic and coriander root; while main course curries offer chicken, beef, lamb and duck married to Suree’s famous mild to hot sauces. The signature dish of grilled duck balances this gloriously rich meat with kaffir lime leaves and an astringent lemongrass sauce. For a change of pace, select a Thai stuffed omelette – a mouth-watering mixture of ground pork, finely diced vegetables and rice vermicelli wrapped in a wafer thin casing. To complete an already stellar experience, Suree and Peter have a staff as delightful as they are. When the last of those intoxicating aromas have floated from your empty dishes, ask them what they would recommend for dessert. Chances are they’ll have just the thing for you.
Roz Taylor