Maenam - Strathfield

Maenam - Lao and Thai

Today I’m out with my friends in the streets of Strathfield.  We decide to head to Maenam, a popular Lao and Thai restaurant that one of my friends has recommended. It stands out among the long parade of restaurants, being one of the only few which are not Korean. The restaurant has a simple, clean interior design and is seemingly more modern in appearance than its neighbours. 

We take a long time arriving at a decision on what to order as we marvel at the array of bottles on the wine shelf and design of the restaurant. The menu is divided into starters, the grill bar, salads, soups, curries, the wok bar, chef specialties, and desserts. 

We start off with our drinks. We've ordered Thai Milk Teas and Longan Juices, both of which are $3.90. I take a sip of the Longan Juice and it is cool, sweet and refreshing. A few longans adorn the drink, floating at the brim and hiding at the bottom of the glass. The Thai Milk Tea has flavours of coffee and milk.  It's a surprising bright orange colour and has a refreshing taste but is less sweet than the Longan Juice. After a few sips we decide to reserve the rest of the glasses to cleanse our palate for the following dishes.

Sunny Beef - $9.90

We order sunny beef from the starter section and it is basically an Asian take-on of beef jerky. It has nice marinated flavour with a hint of sweetness but is very hard. It is a chore to chew and is difficult to swallow. A bit of a disappointment. 

Crispy pork belly $17.90

The first I notice when this dish arrives is the presentation. It is arranged really well with the basil leaf sitting right on the top like a cherry-on-top. The crispy skin of the pork is cooked to perfection, crackling in our mouths, while the meat and fat remained tender. The sauce is a bit sweet and tastes like Chinese red cooked pork. This dish was done really well, however we just needed more of it!

BBQ Octopus - $16.90

A generous amount of octopus on a bed of salad with a lime and chilli dressing. I initially had a good impression of this dish, enjoying the slightly charred flavour mixed with the dressing, but as I moved more into the dish I discovered that it had been charred a little too long. This ruined the overall dish as it had a burnt taste and masked the rest of the other flavours. 

Green Curry with Chicken - $14.50

Mmmmm... A nice creamy curry with chicken, vegetables and a drizzle of coconut milk. The thin slices of bamboo shoot are a great addition to the dish adding a slight crunch. I strongly advise you to have this dish with rice as it will absorb the rich and flavourful taste of the curry. 

Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crab- $15.90

Crab for sixteen bucks !!! I thought it would be some cheap crab that tasted like cardboard but this dish was definitely a winner. Ahhhhhh, the first bite you take is just heavenly. The batter is thin giving the crab a soft crunch without overpowering the crab itself. It is seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, and again salad and sweet chilli sauce is offered at the side. The presentation is as superb as its taste and we drool at it upon its arrival. The dish isn't messy unlike most crab I've had and I think it would do fine without the sauce. 

If you're ever in Strathfield and looking for some different or exotic food, try Maenam. It is a relatively new restaurant and focuses more on presentation so it may be a little pricier.