Monsoon Thai Fusion
You don’t have to travel far for a good green curry with Hobart’s plethora of Thai restaurants. Our surging restaurant scene means you also don’t need to go far from your suburb to enjoy a meal out. Which is why I last ate in Battery Point circa 2003.
But I love Thai food and I love a good deal. Monsoon Thai Fusion is in the Entertainment Book so Boozy Friday Friend and I booked in.
Monsoon Thai Fusion is set in a light filled Battery Point cottage. It’s furnished with a mishmash of retro furniture. We looked on to Hampton Road, seated at an old sewing machine table. There are quaint bits on mantelpieces and walls, and courtyard eating available. With extreme dexterity and efficiency, the chefs prepare their creations in a kitchen separated from the counter by a thin charcoal veil about the size of my wardrobe. My wardrobe is a two-door, 1930s, freestanding debacle. There’s no room to swing a cat in that wardrobe, although a cat once crawled out of it; a great surprise to the then pet-less household. The shower-bay was under renovation and it found its way through the gapping hole and into the bedroom. But that’s another story.
Monsoon Thai’s fusion is a mixture of old and new; traditional recipes with international techniques. The result is Thai flavours embodied in dishes inspired by other cuisines.
Boozy and I selected from the main and specials menu. This is what we ate:
Roast duck pancakes, $12.90, a la Peking Duck.
Tassie salmon fishcakes, $15.
The popular must try - Rocky Road Chicken, $16.9, free range chicken, Thai-style and served lukewarm.
Steamed ginger trout parcel, $34.
We shared the Josef Chromy Pepik Chardonnay that from memory was $34 or 36.
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| It was really hard to do this dish justice with Instagram-our blogging photo app of choice, but it was delicious. |
Monsoon Thai Fusion excels in presentation. It’s part of the reason why the restaurant outshines its contemporaries. The standout plate was the steamed trout. Inside its foil envelope was a beautiful fillet artistically surrounded by vegetables issuing a bouquet of ginger. The run of the mill fishcake was nowhere to be seen. The Tassie salmon fishcakes were crispy balls of salmon seated on sliced cucumber. Monsoon Thai does a good take on the duck pancake. It's not the best I've eaten, but it ain’t half bad either. It’s not hard to see why the rocky road chicken would be immensely popular, what’s not to like about fried chicken with a subtle spice? Thai-food devotees might want to select something a little more authentic though.
Service was attentive and for some unknown reason, there was only two tables seated during our visit. Why isn’t Monsoon Thai Fusion in high demand? The speed your meals are delivered in won’t make your head spin, but they say that is because they’re not made in batches, but to your order.
Overall, our Battery Point reconnaissance was very successful and we recommend you give Monsoon Thai Fusion some of your attention.
Monsoon Thai Fusion is located at 46A Hampton Road, Battery Point.
Call them on 03 6224 4101.
Find them on Facebook here.
Their sister restaurant is the Thai Veggie Hut which specialises in vegetarian and vegan. They can be found in the Bank Arcade. Here’s their website.
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