David Thompson's Long Chim Melbourne to be replaced by Ging Thai

Long Chim Melbourne, one of star chef David Thompson's low-key, high-octane restaurants focusing on Bangkok street food, is finishing up at Crown Casino. A new Thai restaurant, Ging Thai, will open on July 12, just four days after Long Chim's final service on the 8th in the Southbank space.

A spokesperson for Crown says that "after 2½ years, Crown Melbourne and Long Chim have agreed to part ways. Each party wishes the other every success in their respective ventures".

The brief for Ging Thai is rather broad at this stage. Crown's spokesperson has simply promised "a new look and feel". Bangkok-raised Australian chef On Saengyojanr, who will head the kitchen, says she will put a modern spin on "traditional Thai" dishes.

Dishes include pomegranate chicken salad with galangal, mandarin and toasted coconut, boat noodles typical of the Chatuchak markets, but also a couple of Issan-style dishes such as the spicy mince dish, larb, and hot and sour pork soup.

Fans of Sydney and Perth's Long Chim restaurants needn't worry. The Melbourne branch has been operating on a third-party licence agreement, and its closure has no effect on the other restaurants.

Ging Thai will open at Crown Casino, 8 Whiteman Street, on Friday, July 12.