Restaurant review: Kid Curry in Fortitude Valley

A COVID curry takeaway idea from two of Queensland’s favourite restaurateurs has morphed into a new sit-down dining experience in Brisbane’s Fotitude Valley. But does it live up to their formidable reputation?

The interior of Kid Curry in Fortitude Valley. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Other people! A waiter! A bar! After a few months of home detention, being in a restaurant seems as exotic as a visit to a foreign land.

But here we are in Fortitude Valley, sitting at a socially acceptable distance from the other diners in the moodily lit, spacious restaurant.

And while we may be seated in Snack Man, the bar and small plates venue adjacent to Chinese success story Happy Boy, the food we are eating is from newcomer Kid Curry, owned, like the other two venues, by Cameron and Jordan Votan.

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Kid Curry didn’t exist pre-pandemic but when restrictions hit and Happy Boy switched to takeaway and Snack Man’s menu was put on hold, the Votan brothers thought it was time to give life to an idea they’ve been tossing around: dishing up the ultimate in transportable food, curry.

Kid Curry’s duck rendang. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Seven curries are on offer, from an Indonesian-inspired confit duck rendang to northern Indian kumar ki subzi (pan-fried pumpkin with rich, dry spice) priced for takeaway from $12 to $28, as well as a line-up of side dishes.

In-house diners must opt for the $45 banquet, the composition of which varies from night to night.

Our meal arrives in two batches.

First it’s a startlingly appealing, vibrant butter chicken with the meat roasted and plunged into a smoked tomato and butter sauce, and Goan sembharachi kodi – flash-fried prawns with green chilli, ginger and onion, which is also beautifully flavoured.

Sambhaachi kodi prawn curry. Picture: Mark Cranitch

A rich, baby chickpea dhal with bottle gourd (a melon/squash-like subtropical fruit) is also terrific, and the table is populated with two flaky, light, grilled paratha flatbreads, shredded pickled papaya and raita.

Wine is available from both Happy Boy’s Australian list and Snack Man’s European selection, as well as a by-the-glass array projected on the back wall.

After a drinks break our banquet moves to part two and hang lae from northern Thailand; slow-cooked pork belly in a salty, sweet sauce flavoured by tamarind, shallots, cumin and turmeric.

It’s paired with another Thai dish, the green curry sauce, forged from a blend of lemongrass, galangal, Kaffir lime and green chilli, joining forces with big chunks of beef slow-cooked in coconut milk – ours is oddly a little dry – and then flash fried.

We’re also offered rice, chilli vinegar and tomato chutney.

Dining out at Kid Curry. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

It’s a splendid repast, and while my dining partner loves it, my choice would be not to mix so many different dishes and concentrate on a couple of curries, which may be an option soon.

But it was a pleasurable re-entry into the restaurant world and with, as it stands, the set price (paid in advance at the time of booking) it is a way for the restaurant to try and recoup a reasonable amount of money with such a limited number of customers.

Now that restrictions are incrementally easing and more diners are being allowed into restaurants, the future of Kid Curry will presumably depend on demand.

I can’t see why it wouldn’t continue, the food is great in-house and takeaway will likely remain a larger part of trade for restaurants, at least for the time being.

THE VERDICT

Kid Curry

Food 4 stars

Service 4 stars

Value 4 stars

Ambience 3.5 stars

Overall 4

Must try

Butter chicken

Dine in at Snack Man with a $45 banquet, takeaway and delivery

East St, Fortitude Valley

Tue-Sun 4.45pm-8pm

0421 981 882

Kidcurry.com.au