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These ‘genius’ dumplings are not what you might expect at a typical suburban Thai

The dish I loved most at Charlong is inspired not by an Asian kitchen but by iconic pasta restaurant Tipo 00.

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

St Kilda’s Charlong is bright and cheerful, the food flavourful.
1 / 6St Kilda’s Charlong is bright and cheerful, the food flavourful.Joe Armao
Thai tea tart with Thai milk tea panna cotta and whipped coconut cream.
2 / 6Thai tea tart with Thai milk tea panna cotta and whipped coconut cream.Joe Armao
Betel leaves topped with prawn and chicken jungle sausage.
3 / 6Betel leaves topped with prawn and chicken jungle sausage.Joe Armao
Green curry with charcoal-grilled eggplant and optional brisket.
4 / 6Green curry with charcoal-grilled eggplant and optional brisket.Eggplant curry
Kingfish sashimi in coconut-and-galangal broth with passionfruit dressing.
5 / 6Kingfish sashimi in coconut-and-galangal broth with passionfruit dressing.Joe Armao
King prawn dumplings with tapioca “caviar”.
6 / 6King prawn dumplings with tapioca “caviar”.Joe Armao

Thai$$

You could look at Charlong as a nice, new neighbourhood Thai joint and you’d be right: there’s green curry, wokked noodles, papaya salad and friendly service. But you’d also be wrong: Charlong is so much more than a standard suburban restaurant. It’s clever, creative, run by women and could only be in Melbourne.

Co-owner and chef Alex Kaew and her business partner and front-of-house manager Sara Pimsamarn do everything themselves, including curry pastes and spiced sausages. Pimsamarn has a background in five-star hotels. Kaew has worked in some of Melbourne’s best Asian restaurants, picking up skills and strategies, while also studying for a Masters degree in marketing and business.

It’s so tough for restaurants to make a go of it these days that I frankly feel nervous for anyone putting it all on the line and opening the doors. Hearing about Kaew’s extra qualifications gave me comfort. It gets even better: she grew up in Chanthaburi in Thailand’s east and spent long days helping at her grandmother’s food stall. Anyone who’s wrangled a mortar and pestle since they were 10 understands flavour.

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Green curry with charcoal-grilled eggplant and optional brisket.
Green curry with charcoal-grilled eggplant and optional brisket.Joe Armao

You don’t need to know any of that to appreciate the delicious food. Prawn betel leaf is the umami bomb version of surf ‘n’ turf, with sweet prawn and pungent chicken jungle sausage piled into a thrilling bite.

Kingfish is briefly cured with makrut lime salt then laid in a shallow coconut-and-galangal broth that tips a hat to Filipino kinilaw, Thai tom kha gai and Spanish gazpacho. It’s dressed with passionfruit, which sounds bonkers but completely works as an alternative acid bounce.

Anyone who’s wrangled a mortar and pestle since they were 10 understands flavour.

The green curry recipe is from Pimsamarn’s family, balanced with grachai (wild ginger) and bolstered with turmeric-cured then charcoal-grilled eggplant. Add brisket if you like (I did): it’s a perfect meaty soaker for the elegantly spiced broth.

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Thai milk tea is given new life in the panna cotta tart with brown butter crumble and whipped coconut cream. It’s excellent after dinner but I would also come here in the afternoon just for this dessert.

Thai tea tart with Thai milk tea panna cotta and whipped coconut cream.
Thai tea tart with Thai milk tea panna cotta and whipped coconut cream.Joe Armao

Kaew has cooked at Phamily Kitchen (Vietnamese), Longsong and Longrain (Thai), Hochi Mama (Asian fusion), Rice Paper Scissors (Asian street food), Mr Miyagi (snacky Japanese) and was most recently head chef at BangBang in Elsternwick (Asian fusion).

She’s basically put herself through restaurant school and there are elements of the whole curriculum in what she’s doing at Charlong.

King prawn dumplings with tapioca “caviar”.
King prawn dumplings with tapioca “caviar”.Joe Armao
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But the dish I loved most is inspired not by an Asian kitchen but by iconic Melbourne pasta restaurant Tipo 00.

Dumplings are rethought as ravioli, filled with king prawn and bathed in lobster head bisque that’s hot and sour like tom yum but enriched with butter. Tapioca beads are cooked with dark soy and squid ink to make a “caviar” garnish. It’s genius.

There are many reasons why dumplings shouldn’t be considered cheap food; Kaew’s rendition offers a closing argument.

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Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/melbourne-eating-out/these-genius-dumplings-are-not-what-you-might-expect-at-a-typical-suburban-thai-20240507-p5fpj3.html