Ying Thai 2
110 Lygon Street, Carlton
03 9639 1697
Thai
$$
Food
- Tom Yum Seafood Soup
- Seafood Som Tum Salad
- Pla Neung Ma-Now (Steamed Barramundi)
- Pineapple Fried Rice
- Gang Keaw Waan (Thai Green Curry)
- Poo Nim Tod Grob (Soft Shell Crab)
- Gai Hor Bai Toey (Marinated Chicken wrapped with Pandan Leaves)
The Good
The Pandan-Leaf-Wrapped chicken was one of the highlights of the evening. The chicken was grilled nicely and had a slight crunchy outer skin. Along with well-seasoned, juicy inner, this grilled chicken sure was tasty.
The Soft Shell Crab Salad also didn’t disappoint. Not only was it served with a generous amount of crab, the crab itself was cooked rather well. The shell was exceedingly soft and fried with just the right amount of batter. Every bite was met with a crunch of the batter then with the softness and tenderness of the crab itself. This of course was well-complemented by the tangy salad which was fresh and aromatic.
I also particularly enjoyed the Pineapple Fried Rice, which was full of colour and flavour. The rice was cooked perfectly using old rice, which meant no clumping. The seasoning was also spot on, however there were some chunks of uncooked curry powder to be found intermittently throughout. It was also odd to find bacon chunks in there, but the flavours proved to work rather well in this instance!
The Tom Yum Seafood Soup was also done rather well. Ingredients were fresh and plentiful, all cooked in a huge, still boiling, pot of Tom Yum which was seasoned and spiced rather authentically. Granted, there could’ve been more kick in terms of chili, however it was still hearty and delicious nonetheless and went rather well with the rice.
The Mediocre
The Steamed Barramundi would’ve been a real winner if not for the overcooking, which made the protein tough a slightly chewy. Flavour-wise, it was a total winner and the lemon and gigner worked incredibly well to enhance the aroma of the fish itself.
Similarly, the Thai Green Curry was let down by the protein. The chicken was extremely tough, stringy and, despite being cooked in the curry, rather dry. The vegetables and all other aspects of the curry were once again rather flawless, with the curry closely resembling a traditional and authentic Thai curry that carries strong spices and of course a spicy kick.
The Bad
The fried pork skin was definitely not to my liking. While others enjoyed the crunch of the crackle mixed with the sweet and tangy sauce, I found the whole dish rather underwhelming. The crackle wasn’t nearly as crunchy as I would’ve liked. Combined with the overpowering, glucky sauce (much like sweet and sour sauce from a food court), it certainly didn’t appeal to my senses. Fortunately, the seafood was plentiful and fresh which meant there was something Penguin could eat…
The Verdict
Overall a half-decent joint for Thai food. The food was mostly authentic and delicious and prices are affordable. Granted, there are inconsistency issues with the dishes that really need to be sorted out.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Perhaps. It was a decent meal, however, it wasn’t so amazing that would bring me back in a hurry though, given the abundance of great Thai restaurants just in the CBD alone.