DENGON NET

暑いこの時期、皆さんいかがお過ごしだろうか?  食欲がない、サッパリした物しか口にしたくないと、いう人もいるのでは。暑い時には、暑い国の食べ物で乗り切るのもひとつの案。そこで、若き2人のシェフが手掛けるThai fusionレストランThe Piano Restaurant and Bar。タイ料理の基本を押さえつつ、ここでしか味わえないオリジナル料理が楽しめる。今回は、この季節にピッタリのお勧め料理をいただいた。

まずは、ビールのお供にピッタリのSoft shell crab。カラリと揚がった蟹に、ピリ辛ソースを絡めていただく。この手のメニューにありがちな、油っぽくて重い感じは一切なく、サクサクした歯ごたえで、軽い仕上がり。後からじんわり辛くなる、病み付き間違いなしの一品。タイ産のSinghaビールと合わせてどうぞ。

Soft shell crab  $8.5

続いては、Grilled wild barramundi salad。皮がパリッ、身がギュッとしまったバラマンディに、ピリッとチリの効いたハーブたっぷりのサラダが見事にマッチ。暑くて食欲が落ち込んでいる時でも、ペロリと食べられそうな爽やかなひと皿。シンプルだからこそ素材の味がよく分かる。キーンと冷やした白ワインと合わせても良いかも。

Grilled wild barramundi salad   $25.5

そして、ちょっぴり中華料理を彷彿とさせる香りと共に店の看板メニューPiano crispy duckが登場。ドッシリと重みのある肉を頬張ると、カリッと香ばしい皮、ジューシーな肉、甘辛ソースが口の中で渾然一体となって幸せな気分に。後からチリがジワジワ効いて来て、味の時間差攻撃がなんとも絶妙。ソースは肉だけでなく、付け添えの野菜にもピッタリ。同じソースなのに、肉とは別の味わいで、ひと皿で2つおいしい満足度の高いメニュー。かなりのボリュームで満腹度も高いので、女性ならシェアした方が無難かも。ご飯とよく合う味なので、是非ご一緒に。

Piano crispy duck   $27.5

最後は、見ただけでテンションが高くなりそうなBangkok winter。程好い甘さの自家製アイスクリームに、イチゴの酸味でサッパリしているうえ、クッキーやナタデココの食感も楽しい賑やかなデザート。実は、メインメニューで既にお腹いっぱいだったのだが、殆んどシェアすることなく1人で平らげてしまった。

Bangkok winter   $12.5

料理はもちろん、ホッとさせられる温かなサービスもうれしい店。場所柄、大晦日の花火や、全豪オープンテニスを楽しむ人々も多いため、年末年始のお休みは、25日のクリスマスだけの予定。多くの店が閉まってしまうこの時期には、とってもありがたい存在。ごちそうさまでした。

How are you going during this hot time of year? I expect there are some of you with a sluggish appetite, not wanting to put anything in your mouth that isn’t refreshing. In hot weather, one idea is to get through it with food from hot countries. Therefore this month’s review is of a Thai fusion restaurant managed by two young chefs,‘The Piano Restaurant and Bar’. It’s based on Thai cuisine, but here you can enjoy original dishes that you’ll find nowhere else. Today I try some menu items that come recommended as perfect for the season. 

First dish to arrive is the ‘Soft shell crab’, perfectly paired with beer. The crispy fried crab is served with a piquant sauce. This sort of dish sometimes tends to be oily and heavy, but here it’s crunchy and light. It gets spicier as you eat; addictive, for sure. Try ordering a Thai-made Singha beer to go with it. 

Next I order the ‘Grilled wild barramundi salad’. The juicy, crispy-skinned barramundi is beautifully matched with a chilli-spiced salad that’s heaping with herbs. Even when the hot weather has slowed your appetite, this refreshing dish will go down easily. Its simplicity means you can appreciate the flavour of each ingredient. It could be good paired with an ice-cold white wine.

Then arrives the restaurant’s speciality, ‘Piano crispy duck’, with an aroma slightly reminiscent of Chinese food. I take a big bite of the substantial meat with its crunchy and savoury skin and juicy meat, and the sweet-salty sauce combines in my mouth in perfect harmony. Bliss. The chilli starts to make its presence known a little after; the distance between taste and aftertaste is perfect. The sauce is an excellent match with not only the meat, but also the accompanying vegetables. Even though it’s the same sauce, it tastes different with the vegetables, so it’s like two delicious and satisfying dishes in one. Rather large and filling, if female you might be safest sharing this dish with a friend. It goes well with rice, too. 

To finish I have ‘Bangkok winter’, which is exciting just to look at. Home-made ice cream with just the right level of sweetness is combined with the refreshing tartness strawberries and the fun texture of cookies and nata de coco in this lively dessert. The truth is, even though I was already full from my main meal I ate this up and hardly shared it at all. 

As well as the food, happily the service at The Piano Restaurant and Bar is also comfortingly cheerful. Since they’ll likely be busy with people enjoying the Australian Open and New Year fireworks, the only day they plan to close over the end-of-year period is Christmas Day. This is definitely a restaurant to be grateful for at this time of year, when so many places are shut. Gochisosama deshita. 

The Piano Restaurant and Bar
18-20 Bridge Rd. Richmond
03 9428 9385
Lunch  Thu・Fri 11am-3pm
Dinner  Mon-Wed・Sun 5-10:30pm    Thu-Sat  5-11pm
www.pianorestaurantandbar.com.au