New Brisbane

A few years ago, I didn’t even know what a Laksa was - in fact, I’d pretty much written off Thai cuisine altogether until a girlfriend introduced me to green curry chicken. Since then, I’ve decided that Thai food is quite delicious and it often makes an appearance in my week’s meal selections. So of course, all the better that the best Thai restaurant in Brisbane is right around the corner. Yep, it’s gotta be the Silver Charm Thai Cafe in Fortitude Valley

Silver Charm Thai Cafe
Yellow Gold Arcade
Shop 2, 175 Wickham Street
Fortitude Valley

P: 07 3216 0516
Tues-Sun: 11am - 10pm

It actually took me quit a while before I worked up the courage to sample the food at Silver Charm, because the restaurant really doesn’t look that appealing from the street. Absolutely tiny, it seats probably 20 people max, but there is almost always a group of people filling the seats there, which is quite the achievement given that there are 3 other Thai restaurants within a 2 minute walk. But, I was finally lured in by their lunch specials one day and have been going back ever since.

When I first started eating here, it was totally the green curry chicken that got me in the door, and so I ate that pretty exclusively until it got to the point that the staff could predict my order. But as I traveled, friends introduced me to other great Thai dishes and I was always keen to see how Silver Charm fared. And, my discovery was that there’s not a single Thai dish I’ve tried anywhere else that Silver Charm can’t beat - most notably, I was told that a certain noodle house in Canberra makes the best Laksa in the world… wrong, it’s Silver Charm.

And they really do a great job across the spectrum. Their curries are sensational, with the Penang and Green Curry chicken topping my favourites list. For noodle dishes, the chicken Pad Thai is always a winner, but don’t forget to try their Tuk-Tuk noodles. And of course, the Laksa is sensational - try the combination of chicken, beef and pork for an extra few dollars.

So I generally frequent this place by myself, grabbing take-away so I can scuttle back to my apartment and selfishly enjoy it solo. But, from time to time I’ll take a girl here on a date - it’s a light, casual environment that’s good for chatting and getting to know someone that you’ve just met. The place is a bit on the small side, but they do have tables that seat some larger groups (6-12 people) and because they’re small, they’re pretty accomodating about it.

Most meals here will set you back about $10-12, which is a great price for the quality of the food - and the lunch specials are a particularly good deal. Portions are good too, though I recently ordered a take-away curry and found the container of curry to be a bit on the small side. Everything else I’ve ever had has been more than adequate - and usually gives me enough food for a meal and a half.

Anyway, not much else to say about this, except that you should go to the Silver Charm Thai Cafe and give them a try. Since Silver Charm is shut on Mondays, I’ve had to try some of the other Thai restaurants in Fortitude Valley and they’re nowhere near as good as Silver Charm.

- Ross