Miss Ping’s
‘Good food need not be spoken about, only eaten. Thai food, for lovers of more than food.’ Miss Ping's
The other night I had the pleasure of tasting Thai delicacies at Miss Ping’s, a new Thai eatery in Doncaster.
Launched late March, this enticing venture has been created by Winnie Chiang. Singaporean-born Winnie brought her cooking expertise to Australia to spread her wings. Her first venture was Thailander, a modern take on authentic Thai cuisine using fresh produce cooked to order. Since opening the first concept store in Little Collins St, Thailander has expanded its reach, franchising the concept to include locations such as Chadstone and Melbourne’s Galleria.
Winnie Chiang
Following Thailander’s success, Miss Pings is the ultimate expression of Winnie’s creativity, and presents a modern take on authentic Thai cuisine with flair and zing.
The décor and ambience of this restaurant are welcoming and relaxed. It is quite eclectic in style with an open, almost industrial style kitchen, splashes of cyclamen pink, and a ‘Thai’ style area with booth seating and overhanging basket lighting and greenery. While this may sound like a very strange mix, they have managed to combine all these features into a pleasing and comfortable environment.
Miss Ping’s menu is extensive, featuring many Thai classics in all categories from spicy Thai salads to fragrant rice paddy dishes, noodles, soups and curries, culminating in vibrant wok dishes, all prepared right in front of guests in the wide-open kitchen. One of the things I really liked about the food I tasted is that it gave a real punch of chilli, exactly what you should be able to expect when ordering something spicy.
Our meal began with three small plates – Betel Leaf with crispy toasted coconut prawns, salted caramelised peanuts and chilli – Grilled Caramelise Pork skewers with sticky rice and nam jim jaew – Steamed Bao, one with pork belly, chilli jam, pickled cucumber and carrots, the other with a soft shell crab fritter, green papaya slaw and sweet chilli mayo. Of these, all I can say is – outstanding! Not only were these dishes beautifully presented, they all packed a huge flavour punch and were cooked to perfection.
Our main course was Prik Khing Crispy Pork Belly cooked with a special blend of herbs, chilli, beans and capsicum, served with steamed rice. For me, the flavours in this dish were really good, but I found the pork to be slightly too dry for my liking. After the outstanding small plates, it was a tiny bit disappointing.
However, my disappointment didn’t last long, as dessert was soon brought over – WOW!
Crepe Cake – a multi crepe layered cake, rich, oozy, just the right amount of sweetness, 100 per cent delicious. This dessert is only on the menu for a limited time so if you want to treat yourself to a sweet taste sensation, get to Miss Ping’s fast.
Open seven nights a week, the restaurant boasts a full service lunch and dinner menu complete with a cocktail bar all at very reasonable prices.
Overlooking the sparkling Melbourne city skyline, the colourful and vibrant restaurant pays homage to the mystery and intrigue of a night in Bangkok.
Miss Ping’s is going to be one of my ‘go to’ Thai food places where I will be happy to take family and friends.
Miss Ping’s
Westfield Shopping Centre
2001/619 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster
Phone (03) 8590 7567
Monday 11am-3pm 5pm-9pm
Tuesday 11am-3pm 5pm-9pm
Wednesday 11am-3pm 5pm-9pm
Thursday 11am-3pm 5pm-10pm
Friday 11am-3pm 5pm-10pm
Saturday 11am-10pm
Sunday 11am-9pm
by Carol Sheridan
