Address: 1-7 Ferguson Street, Abbotsford, Vic 3067
Phone: (03) 9419 5899
Facebook: Jinda Thai
My sister and I checked out Jinda Thai the other week and we were sorry that we hadn't come earlier! The food was pretty amazing. The one good thing about being a 'late' visitor was that it was no longer as busy as it had been when it first openned. That, and it was 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon, so we'd probably missed the lunch hour rush. Anyway, my sister is a huge fan of Tom Yum Soup, so we ordered one of those. I have to admit, I've never loved Tom Yum and I've always preferred to go for the less spicy Thai options....But at Jinda Thai, I actually thoroughly enjoyed the dish for the first time in my life.
Thick and rich in flavour, this Tom Yum soup was the perfect combination of lemongrass and spices. It was just really fragrant and sweet. I also really liked the Moo Ping Pork Skewers. Sticky, candided pork skewers, sticky rice (in another seperate little box) and nam jim sauce...what more could you ask for? They also served their skewers on a lovely platter with beautiful blue and white patterns. Very eye-catching for photos.
We couldn't forgo crab once we spotted on the menu, so we ordered the soft shell crab with the apple salad. The little crabs were crispy on the outside, but tender and fresh on the inside. The apple salad gave the dish a real flavour punch with the sliced apples and onions drenched in sweet and spicy fish sauce. When I say spicy, I mean that it was ultra spicy and pretty much set my tongue on fire!
And of course, Thai food just doesn't feel complete until you have the old favourite - Pad Thai. I felt that the serving was a bit on the small side and didn't have all the ingredients that I was use to. But it was hearty and filling, so it hit the spot all the same.
By this time, my sister and I were pretty full. But Jinda Thai is so well-known for it's mille crepe cakes that we just had get a slice. The flavour on offer was Matcha Green Tea. Silky green tea crepes layered with cream and topped with green tea custard and red beans. I have a tase aversion to red beans, so my poor sister had to pick them off. But the green tea custard was beautiful and thick, adding the perfect amount of sweetness to the cake. I would love to go back to try all the other exotic flavours including Thai Milk Tea and Pandan.
Overall, the food was lovely. A little pricer than regular Thai, but it was every bit worth it. Service was a little slow, but pleasant enough and all the orders came out in a timely way. The restaurant space itself was also pleasant. Very peaceful, spacious and airy with lots of elegant Thai decor. Will I revisit? Hopefully yes! I definately plan to go back to try out the other crepe cakes. If you like Thai food, or cake, Jinda Thai is the perfect place for you.
Ratings
Service: 7/10
Ambience: 8/10
Food: 20/20
Worth visiting? Yes! Prepare for an exotic food adventure.
Price: $$ (The average dish is around $13-15...But you'll definately want to try more than one dish!)
