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Sah wah dee khrap!

We’ve finally ticked off Paste Thai Food Australia restaurant on our restaurant bucket list to check out, we made it! Located in Mittagong an hour or so drive from Sydney. Making a day trip or a weekend away in the Southern Highlands is the best option so you can enjoy the attractions, food and wine this historic town has to offer. For us, it was a full day trip visiting Goulburn first then dinner on the way back.

Paste Thai Food Australia is the sibling of Paste Bangkok in Thailand. Both restaurants have garnered the prestigious Michelin star category for their exceptional creativity of the dishes they offer. Paste Australia is located along Main St in Mittagong, on the main strip of the town, very easy to find and the good news is there is plenty of parking around.

Building is prominent, with distinctive signage. Inside it has a subtle decor with beautifully crafted tables and two coloured dining chairs (chairs can be adjusted to relax your back). Down lights throughout add a touch of sophistication and add a warm inviting vibe to this modern dining space. We were seated in the middle, just opposite a wooden showcase with books and a collection of Michelin star awards.

Since this is our first Thai food Michelin star dining, our tastebuds were excited as we raised our glasses for the obligatory toast. Wine menu is exquisite!

From the menu, we ordered an entree, mains and dessert to share. First to arrive was Tom Yum Goong soup $31. It was a cold night so this should warm up our palate. Herby flavours waft every time we scoop out of the bowl. Every bite of the Mooloolaba prawns was a joy in the mouth, cooked to perfection, great texture with a briny taste. Stand out was the broth, it was just a harmony of umami packed flavour that will leave you tastebuds wanting more.

After we finished off the soup, our table was cleaned and a new set of plates provided. Next to follow was Gently Poached Chicken in Thai Herbal sauce $30. A royal Thai dish of brined chicken, banana flower, snap peas, nigella seed and decorative flowers. Plating alone was stunning! Chicken pieces were MMMMM-melt in the mouth and flavour profile of the herbal sauce was out of this world along with the mixture of fresh ingredients. I jokingly said to the waitress, I would be happy to just have the herbal sauce over a bowl of rice, it was that good!

There was a little interval between our entree and main, which gave us time to appreciate the lovely wine and let our eyes wander around.

Both our main dishes arrived simultaneously along with a bowl of boiled rice $6. We ordered the Green Curry Prawns $40 and Market Fish in Thai Turmeric Sauce $46.

Again the Mooloolaba prawns were cooked to perfection. Curry broth was vibrant, thick and creamy. A medley of fragrant herbs and aromatics in every spoon coupled with warm rice. We loved the tender texture of the palm heart, it has a tiny crunch in every bite. This prawn green curry is probably the best Thai curry that we’ve ever eaten.

Second main is a signature dish direct from their Bangkok branch. Jaw-dropping presentation. Two deep fried fillets of fish bathed in a savoury, fragrant and moreish turmeric sauce. Fish was cooked to perfection, outer skin was golden and crunchy whilst the inside was moist and tender. Such a stellar dish!

For dessert, we settled with the Thai Tea Mousse. Mousse was decadent and creamy with a lovely infused tea flavour. The young coconut along with slice of jackfruit, raspberries and chocolate soil added a pleasant contrast to the mousse. Every bite was heaven and not overly sweet, definitely a textbook dessert!

If you’re looking for Michelin star dining in a beautiful location, Paste Thai Australia is definitely a must-visit. Staff were very engaging and knowledgeable about the food sharing with us the culinary history on how this has been interpreted into developing Paste Australia.

Paste Thai Food Australia
105 Main St Mittagong NSW 2575
IG: @pasteaustralia