Longtime, Brisbane, is Ben Bertei’s tribute to Thai culinary harmony

THE menu at Longtime, Brisbane, is a clever blend of traditional and innovative Thai, with a deliciously happy ending.

TWAM-20150228 EMBARGO FOR TWAM 28 feb 2015 NO REUSE WITHOUT PERMISSION Longtime restaurant, Brisbane Pic : Jeff Camden

TINY red chillies. Too many, really. Garlic. Glistening, pearlescent orbs. Lots. And crabs. Small, fermented crabs that went into the mortar to be crushed into salty, smelly oblivion under the hammer of a stone pestle.

I remember it as clearly as yesterday, even if it was 25 years ago: a Thai street vendor and a snack that was pure epiphany. It was the way this salad of shredded green papaya roped all these extremes of flavour and olfactory sensation into a coherent, delicious whole that made such an impression. Somehow, this genius pushing a cart had measured and tamed these wild horses with fruit and beans to create something that defined the cuisine of the nation. Balancing extremes.

I’ve never found som tum like it and, nostalgia being what it is, probably never will. But I’ll keep trying, which is why we’re in Fortitude Valley at a restaurant that can only be described as yet another illegitimate spawn of Melbourne’s Chin Chin. Recycled old building? Check. Loud and busy? Check. Fun fit-out of interesting recycled materials? Check. User-friendly Thai menu? Check again. A certain pop-culture irreverence about the whole thing? Double check.

Ben Bertei, head chef at Longtime (as in Love you long time, geddit?) held the same role at Spirit House, a Sunshine Coast institution, for five years. And sitting here at the bar, facing the kitchen, you certainly achieve a raw interface with those who prepare your food.

You grab a drink — from a list that goes by the name The Three Rs (riesling, rosé and Rhône), which is really smart given the food — and get the first challenge out of the way. “Spicy green papaya salad with snake beans Noosa Red tomatoes.” Someone forgot the punctuation. Strangely, it’s the least interesting of Longtime’s dishes; bland, in fact, slightly sweet, and just too safe and tame for its own damned good. Pity. Rieslingfreak No. 3 at $45, on the other hand, is well suited to what follows, which is uniformly enjoyable.

Another salad, of watermelon, toasted coconut shavings, crisp fried shallot and red curry dressing, has all the character its predecessor lacked: it’s hot but balanced, not unduly sweet, texturally interesting and super refreshing.

Indeed, the menu is a nice balance of tradition and innovation: sure, you want your salt and pepper cuttlefish with a dipping sauce; you also want your green curry of slow-cooked wagyu knuckle with eggplant and pickled green relish.

Me, I wanted their version of Crying Tiger, a really nice piece of beef that they marinate and cook sous vide, then chargrill to order, with its distinctive lime and dried chilli dressing over the top. Just the right level of sourness and heat, I thought. I also wanted the half soup/half snapper fillet “sour orange curry” with its tamarind tang and a garnish of pickled watermelon rind. It’s pretty good, too, but they lose points for inelegant presentation of rice, which simply arrives in a mound in a bowl.

In contrast, a dessert of green mango and sour apple jelly plated with ginger foam, watermelon granita, fresh passionfruit pulp and baby passionfruit meringues looks amazing and is indeed the most distinctive, successful dish of the meal. Vibrant is the only word. To prove it’s no accident, the same chef’s “aero chocolate” with smoked chocolate sauce, passionfruit cream and lemon custard gelato is also excellent.

Love you, Longtime. That’s the happy ending we were hoping for. Fix the green papaya salad and we’re back.

Address: 610 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

Phone: [phone] Web: longtime.com.au

Hours: Dinner Tue-Sun

Typical prices: Starters $16; larger dishes $30; desserts $15

Summary: Good food, better hospitality, should last a long time

Like this? Try … Chin Chin, Melbourne; Gin Long Canteen, Adelaide

Stars: 3.5 out of 5