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Thursday February 23, 2012

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Ela goes swimming at Middle Fish

Posted by: Ela Carte | 27 January, 2012 - 1:46 PM
Pork Belly

Middle Fish – 122-128 Berkeley Street Carlton (no phone no website for now)

Not your average Thai restaurant and it’s not your typical locale for a bright, airy, funky café – but then that’s the beauty of Middle Fish.

These ain’t your usual restaurateurs either, David is a former tradie, and Pla a native Thai who’s had plenty of hospitality experience but is at the helm for the first time – yet somehow they’ve created welcoming, unique environs in which to sample authentic Southern Thai fare. Part of it comes down to pure passion, they’re hands on and they appear to be enjoying every moment of it. David can be seen wandering around the tables talking to punters about their menu choices or the story behind the fascinating artwork, and Pla is busy overseeing the wait staff and smiling at every opportunity.

It’s not her real name of course, born Siriporn Liamthong, Pla is the nickname she received as a child (it means fish) and basically all she’s been known as every since. Add the fact that she’s the middle child and it’s fairly obvious from whence the name of the café is derived.

The menu flitters from northern inspired dishes many of us already know (think larb, and som tum salad – this one with apple in place of green papaya), to southern meals I’d never heard of like a Southern Thai Fish Curry soup with crab meat or a crunchy mussel omelette.

The starters are all familiar, vegetarian spring rolls were good, fish cakes were full of flavour and had that customary squeaky texture. I wasn’t game to start a meal with banana roti and sweetened condensed milk, but I’m sure there’s someone out there who would.

I had the age old dilemma choosing mains – whether to go for something I know and love, or try something different when I’m at an establishment that provides itself on authentic local cuisine. I went with the latter, and the Pad Gapao Moo Kob came through for me – chewy, crunchy pieces of sweet pork belly stir-fried with holy basil, broccoli, carrot, onion and capsicum served with rice and an oily, crispy fried egg. Fabulous flavours in the pork belly and small amount of sauce, and plenty of vegetables on the side.

Need to remember to take the descriptions literally, my dining partner was a little disappointed with her soup that contained just prawns, cauliflower and carrot – but that’s exactly what it said was coming. It was a southern specialty, sour without apology, with tamarind and just enough chilli, can’t help thinking that the Tom Yum might have been more exciting.

You can’t dispute the honesty and authenticity of the flavours, and a lot of that comes down to Pla’s aunt who’s doing a lot of the work in the kitchen. With very little English but plenty of experience in the kitchen, she’s working her way through the nearby Queen Victoria Market to find fresh produce and re-create home style flavours with a bit of a twist in the presentation to appease us fussy Melburnians.

Only trading for breakfast and lunch now, it will hopefully get permission for evening service, and a liquor licence may well be on the cards down the track. Worth it for locals to pop in for a coffee – they’re using the fabulous Seven Seeds coffee, which makes even the super sweet Thai Iced Coffee taste great. Open just five weeks, it’s seems an impressive start.. What the Middle Fish staff may lack in polish or finesse right now, they make up for in enthusiasm and commitment to fine, fresh cuisine.

PLAY: Ela Carte with Ross and John

3AW Food - Eating Melbourne

3AW Food 3AW is Food: Melburnians love to eat so it's fortunate we live in the culinary capital of Australia. On this dedicated food page you will find the latest recipes by Bob Hart as well as Tony Leonard's Pub of the Week reviews. La Luna head chef Adrian Richardson also serves up a dish from his own cook book and food reviewer Ela Carte visits one of Melbourne's hottest eateries weekly.

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