Arbory, Arbory Afloat team open Thai kitchen BKK at HER building in Melbourne’s CBD

Fire up your tastebuds this spicy number at the city’s new Thai restaurant by the Arbory and Arbory Afloat team.

When the waiter asked if I liked spice, I said yes and instantly regretted my decision.

It’s a hard call with Thai food.

Chilli works well to gently rouse the palate, but at times, it’ll melt your face off.

Have the fire brigade on speed dial for the raw beef laab ($18) at BKK – the new Bangkok inspired kitchen at HER – as it’s a real sweat fest.

Small plates and cold drinks are the vibe at BKK. Picture: Parker Blain.

Flank steak cubes are tumbled in sesame oil and flecked with peppery Sichuan jungle spice and ginger batons, building intense heat with every cautious mouthful.

My tastebuds pant at a rapid pace. Perspiration sets in. After a quick cleanser (thanks, charred pineapple margarita), I get a rush of adrenaline fuelling my next bite.

You’ll get a lot of that shot-in-the-arm energy at BKK that’ll fire you up for a night on the tiles.

It’s a lot of fun, if you’re under 40.

HER has been a long time coming for chef Nick Bennett.

HQ Group’s culinary director, behind Yarra River bars Arbory and Arbory Afloat, opened his

first landlocked venue, HER, last week after months of planning.

The beef laab comes with a spice warning. Picture: Parker Blain

In an old Lonsdale St federation building, there are four new spaces across five storeys for the kids to run amok — French-bistro HER, a moody music room spinning vinyl, a buzzing rooftop space and the headline restaurant BKK run by Bennett and ex-Red Spice Road head chef Sungeun Mo.

You may get deja vu as you trudge up dizzying flights of neon-lit stairs – yes, this has a whiff of resemblance to CBD-stayer Cookie.

But BKK is no old-grandeur Curtin House clone.

The modern 52-seater packs them in, with exposed red-brick walls, warm neutral fittings and a brass bar giving you a ringside view of the buzzing open kitchen.

A thumping bass overhead, snappy service, street food snacks on stackable plastic plates – it’s where you can smash Asahi on tap with tempo-setting eggplant miang wrapped in fragrant betel leaf ($7) or a few east coast rock oysters ($6 each) bobbing in a pool of coconut cream and nam prik pao (chilli paste) and be on your merry way.

Or strap in for the long haul and make a meal of delicious charry things on sticks (pork, chicken heart or chiang mang sausage, priced by the gram), something noodly or rice-loaded, or substantial from the grill, ending with something sweet.

BKK’s food is inspired by Bangkok’s bustling roadside stalls. Picture: Parker Blain

Bennett and Mo’s cooking riffs on Bangkok street food snacks, so expect a lot of small bites and share plates. Oh, and for the jetsetters playing at home, BKK is the capital’s airport code. We start with golden crescent-shaped curry puffs ($14), which wrap chicken meat, lime and chilli in a sweet-glazed flaky pastry, dunked in a zingy, sour cucumber ajat sauce. Yum.

There are four types of laab, even a vegan friendly one, to join that firestarting beef.

The slightly milder barbecue pork jowl ($17) hits just right, with crisp red apple matchsticks cutting through the fat and heat.

Speaking of meat, the massaman curry’s ($28) beef hasn’t spent hours surrendering to the sauce on the stove, to my disappointment, and is a tad chewy.

Save room for the daringly different dessert of icy Thai tea tiramisu ($14), which gives the Italian classic a southeast Asian bent. Dig beneath the blizzard of shaved tea granita to unearth a creamy parfait and jellied rum. Created by senior sous chef Nada Gafayri and head pastry chef Khristina Mulyono, it’s a nice way to wrap things up or to the break glass in case of another spice emergency.

Snacks are plentiful at BKK. Picture: Parker Blain

Even the cooling ricecream (that’s rice ice cream) on a silky lemongrass mousse encased in white chocolate tart is tummy-rubbing good – and a steal for $11.

Four signature and six classic cocktails are on tap, as well as a varied wine list.

As crowds trickle back into the city, HER and BKK will have no issue packing them in.

It’s where you can throw back inoffensive, approachable eats that may need a spice disclaimer.

Find BKK is on the third level of the new HER building on Lonsdale St. Picture: Parker Blain.

BKK

Level 3, HER, 270 Lonsdale St Melbourne

OPEN: Daily, 11:30 am – 1 am

GO-TO DISH: Beef Laab with jungle spice

TRY THIS IF YOU LIKE: Cookie

COST: Snacks: ($5-$15), Entree: ($15-$19) Main: ($19-$52) Dessert: ($11-$14)

RATING: 7/10