Chalawan - Melbourne

Had an extremely wonderful dinner at this place. We were a group of 6 plus 3 kids and although the sitting was quite tight it didn't stop us from having a good time at the restaurant. The wait staff was well attained and was quick to take our orders etc. The food took a little while to come, would have liked it to come a bit sooner. The pad Thai options were very strong and different, sharing dishes were quite sizeable, and the ones we ordered were great. Only thing is they don't have a dessert menu. Will be back again for more!

The food at this restaurant is seriously delicious, fragrant, and scrumptious. The prawns and kingfish entrées were excellent, the pork belly was tasty, and the beef cheek green curry was mouthwateringly delicious. The service was friendly, and the beer was cold.

I absolutely adore this restaurant. It is without a doubt the most authentic Thai option in Fitzroy, while still maintaining a Melbourne vibe. The staff is extremely welcoming and the bar area is a fantastic spot to both enjoy a drink and have dinner. While nothing can truly compare to eating Thai food in Thailand, this restaurant is the closest thing to it.

The atmosphere at this restaurant is modern and laid-back. Designed by Studio Equator, the space is stunning with a central bar covered in turquoise scale-shaped tiles and vaulted exposed beams running down the length of the dining room. Diners' attention is drawn to the Chalawan Crocodile King mural on the back wall.

Incredible. If you're after a place for a relatively quiet bar-setting date with drinks and amazing tapas styled dishes, Chalawan is a fantastic choice. We had the Fried calamari with salted egg aioli, Miang Betel Leaf with fresh herbs coconut caramel sauce, and the Beef Fondue with herbs. The Beef fondue was to die for, so good. The tom yum was also very concentrated and herbs we don't often find in all Thai restaurants. Love how they sliced the oyster mushrooms in a way that made you think abalone or shellfish. It also absorbed the flavour so well. The crab curry (Gaeng Poo) was well balanced between the sweetness of apricots and citrusy lemon grass and kaffir like leaves. Now awaiting dessert, can't even wait to write about it already..