Soho eatery Vanidol’s offers the warmest of Thai welcomes

I can’t wait to visit Vanidol’s again in order to give the hotter dishes a try. If the Hobart weather doesn’t make me sweat, the spices and flavours of Bangkok will, writes Alix Davis

Vanidol’s South Hobart entree sample plate.

Summer is on its way, but the heat is already on in the dining room at Vanidol’s South Hobart. It’s diner beware as the menu warns that curries can be made hotter but not milder and that refunds will not be given if you order a spicy dish and can’t handle the heat.

Given my husband’s aversion to chilli (and the added weight of recent doctor’s orders, sigh) I vow to tread carefully through the menu and order dishes that pack in the flavour without fanning the flames.

Service is quick and we have drinks in hand soon after arriving, which is always a good start to a meal – it’s a simple thing to do but many restaurants don’t seem to be able to manage it. I can’t decide on an entree, so order a mixed platter ($22 per person, minimum two people) that includes all my Thai favourites.

There are delicately spongey fish cakes, served on a bed of vermicelli salad, shatteringly crisp spring rolls and petite chicken satays smothered in a sauce that has some heat. Classic Crying Tiger – a beef salad speckled with ground rice – is served on a bed of black sticky rice and, while I love it, the chilli level is high enough that I literally grab the fork out of my husband’s hand before he breaks out in a chilli-induced sweat.

Vanido’s, of South Hobart’s, mixed entree plate.

Thankfully, there are plenty of dishes to choose from for those who aren’t chilli thrillseekers.

Vanidol’s advertises itself as Asian cuisine but there’s a strong leaning towards Thai food, which is not surprising given Thailand is where the eponymous owner was born. Vanidol Lulitanond moved to Hobart from Bangkok at the age of 19 and opened the first Vanidol’s, in North Hobart, in 1990. The self-taught chef learnt about food from his grandmother and tonight’s meal displays a deft hand with spices and classic Thai and Asian ingredients.

We select a couple of dishes from the specials board – stir-fried prawns with glass noodles ($36) is a generous portion of plump prawns flavoured with garlic and peppered and studded with bright vegetables. A tangle of slippery glass noodles soak up the fragrant sauce and I consider it a victory that I manage to eat it without splattering it all over myself.

A pork and lemongrass curry ($32) is another special tonight and it’s similar to a massaman curry, with a thick, rich sauce and chunks of potato. This curry is mild yet full of flavour with plenty of texture from the lemongrass. It’s a generous serving and leftovers are outstanding for lunch the next day.

Vanidol’s prawn and vegetable stir-fry with glass noodles.

The restaurant is busy on the midweek night we visit. There are tables of friends, families and couples as well as a brisk trade in takeaway and delivery drivers. The dining room is lined with an upholstered banquette that runs the length of the room and a balcony seating area has views of kunanyi.

The fit-out won’t win any design awards but when the food is this good, who cares? It’s comfortable and welcoming and everyone is having a good time – I’d like to be a regular here. Our third main is mu grob ($38) – twice-cooked crispy pork belly with vegetables, chilli and basil. This is one of my favourite Thai dishes and Vanidol’s version does not disappoint – the chunks of pork belly are crisp and slightly caramelised, there’s the perfect hint of chilli and the subtle aniseed flavour of basil is very much in evidence. It’s fatty and tender and crisp and I would be happy with this any day of the week.

Vanidol’s Hobart Pork and lemongrass curry.

Obviously, we need to order mango sticky rice ($14) for dessert despite our appetites already being well and truly sated. This classic Thai dessert comes in many iterations and here it’s presented in a stemmed glass rimmed with spears of sweet and juicy mango surrounding a scoop of ice cream and satisfyingly sticky black rice. I don’t know why this combination works but it does and this time of year – as mangoes are coming into season – is the right time to enjoy it.

I can’t wait to visit again in order to give the hotter dishes a try (husband will be sticking to his side of the table). If the Hobart weather doesn’t make me sweat, the spices and flavours of Bangkok will.

Vanidol’s South Hobart in Macquarie St

Vanidol’s South Hobart

361a Macquarie St,

South Hobart

Opening hours: Tues-Sat, lunch 11am-2pm and dinner from 5.30pm

On the menu

Mixed entree platter, $44; lemongrass pork curry, $32; prawns with glass noodles, $36; twice-cooked pork belly with chilli and basil, $38; mango sticky rice, $14.