Kao Thai

The minimalist dining room reveals few clues to cuisine origin. No gold Buddhas, just choc-toned timber and a few trinkets (a snug, bamboo-lined courtyard is equally tasteful). A cutely drawn menu details top Thai dishes, and the house specials sing with hot-salty-sour-sweet goodness. It’s hard to resist crisp pork-belly chunks stir-fried with crunchy green beans and capsicum, fragrant with Thai basil. Fried calamari rings dunked in aromatic, secret-recipe caramelised relish are nigh-on addictive, while the mild sweetness of coconut rice offsets any dish’s chilli punch. There's bang for your buck with $10 lunch deals.