City centre Thai aims a little too high

It has big ambitions, but the new restaurant owned by Queensland’s honorary Thai consul-general isn’t quite living up to expectations.

When celebrity chef Neil Perry closes his Brisbane burger bars because the city has reached peak burger, it raises the question of what exactly is trending in the restaurant world.

Late last year there was an outbreak of Greek restaurants, and right now, Thai is having a moment, with recent openings in key CBD locations, including Phat Boy in Brisbane Quarter and now Jumbo on the first floor of the 1928-built heritage-listed Embassy Hotel on the corner of Elizabeth and Edwards streets.

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Jumbo, whose hefty namesake can be spotted in a painting on the back wall, is owned by Thailand’s honorary consul-general in Brisbane Andrew Park and his wife Wasana.

The couple have run several Siam Sunset restaurants in the city’s southwest, and now they’re aiming up.

“We wanted to do something that hasn’t been done in Brisbane before, the likes of Longrain, Chin Chin and Long Chim,” Park told The Courier-Mail.

The attractive decor at Jumbo Thai

Certainly Jumbo’s decor is spacious and attractive, with the furniture imported from Bangkok, private dining rooms sectioned off with colourful fabric and wood screens, and stools pulled up to black tiled benchtops looking out over Edward St.

The good looks are fuelled by an extensive drinks repertoire, including a lengthy cocktail list (perhaps a Tuk Tuk Drag Race with a chilli-infused cognac base), a hefty range of beer, and plenty to interest wine-wise, with more than 75 varietals.

Gorgeous whorls: Butterfly pea flower steamed dumplings with sand crab, coriander and white pepper

Quality produce such as Queensland scallops, “sustainably sourced” squid, marinated Cape Grim striploin and chargrilled butterflied free-range chicken are employed to take the extensive menu up a notch from standard suburban fare.

Starters include five-spice duck spring rolls and betel leaf parcels of smoked trout and salted coconut caramel sauce, before the menu moves on to salads, grilled dishes, curries, stir-fries, noodle and rice concoctions.

The signature dish is butterfly pea flower steamed dumplings with sand crab, coriander and white pepper ($12 for four).

But despite them being gorgeous mauve whorls – the colour courtesy of the pea flower – they are disappointingly muted in flavour, with the dough rather thick compared to the quantity of filling.

House-made rice flour tacos ($15 for three) are better, the shells crisp and stuffed with pulled pork, shredded coconut, cucumber, red onion and chilli.

Loads of crab meat: Jumbo sandcrab curry

Whole goldband snapper ($47) is filleted into small pieces before being reassembled inside the fish skeleton but these are not “crispy” as described on the menu, although it’s all given a pep up by a scattering of herbs and chilli and lime dressing.

An enormous quantity of sand crab is put to use in the southern Thai yellow curry ($42) and while the betel-leaf-flecked sauce is deeply flavoured and appealing, it overwhelms the meat. We didn’t try them, but perhaps Angus beef cheeks are better able to deal with the power of a green curry sauce and similarly the lamb shanks and sweet potato with the massaman curry.

Coconut ice cream, young coconut jelly, coconut meat and roasted peanuts ($11) isn’t available, so on the advice of our waitress we opt for a scoop of coconut ice cream, which is pleasant if expensive at $8.50.

Another dessert of pandan, pumpkin and taro glutinous rice pearls, which look like multi-coloured gnocchi floating atop a warm coconut and palm sugar sauce in a cocktail glass ($15), appeals on a cold night.

In a glass: Coconut ice cream

Service is attentive and relaxed, the space is very appealing but the kitchen needs to nail the execution of the extensive menu if Jumbo is going to live up to its ambitions.

JUMBO

Level 1, 214 Elizabeth St, Brisbane

BOOK 3477 6464
jumbothai.com.au

OPEN Mon-Sat from 11.30am for lunch
and dinner

MUST TRY

Rice flour tacos with pulled pork,
coconut and chilli

VERDICT

Food 7

Ambience 8

Service 8

Value 7

OVERALL 7.5