Chillax Thai
23 Havelock Ave
Coogee, Sydney
Chillax Thai, what a great name and perfect for a Thai restaurant, resembling that relaxed and warm Thai culture that's so renowned. It's situated in lovely Coogee in Sydney's eastern suburbs. It might be small, but it's definitely inviting, with a wooden interior hosting about four tables inside and some outside seating too.
What Chillax Thai may lack in size is made up by the size of their menu. We found the menu to be quite comprehensive, with lots of options guaranteed to satisfy any taste, from curries, to salads to noodles, they have everything covered here. There's also an open plan kitchen so everything is made fresh, right in front of you.
Count N had a craving for moneybags whereas Count J was after some salt and pepper squid. We've learned over the years not to resist cravings, so we ordered both to start. We were very impressed with the crispiness of the money bags and the sauce they came with which was a great dipping agent for them. The squid resembled long nuggets of gold, beautifully crumbed on the outside and ever so tender inside. Gosh we could just keep on eating those.
Our starters were gone in seconds and next up we tried the prawn fried rice which was full of flavour and generously packed with mouthwatering prawns. We literally couldn't get enough of it.
Next up, some chicken and cashews nuts (Count J's favourite Thai dish) and since we've had this dish many times before and we absolutely love it, we were holding our breath to see how it would stack up against all the others we've had over the years. The dish arrived and it had a vibrant colour, a sure sign that we're about to eat something good. The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked, it blended well with the fresh vegetables and nuts and sat in a delicious bed of sauce that we kept on scooping up with our spoons. We highly recommend this one folks.
Lastly, we tried the succulent soft shell crab, so light and crisp, it sat like fluffy clouds on a beautiful salad bed. A light and fragrant end to our dinner.
Chillax Thai really does offer a great authentic experience, in a relaxed setting with genuine friendly service. We certainly enjoyed it. And the best part? Well it's the price, because nothing on their menu is over $16. We certainly will be back.
The Counts, who review for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of Chillax Thai. Special thanks to owner Kiatisak. Big thanks to Michael and Tony from the "great bargain" food discount site ompty.com for arranging this.