Refined Thai with tropical vibes and creatively named dishes.
How does your garden grow? If it’s anything like the one at Itsara, the answer would be, with abundance. Even on weeknights, don’t be surprised to find both dining and garden rooms packed with those hungry for their share of “Royal Thai with eats from the street”. Itsara’s menu boasts dishes with names such as Fleeing Fish, Mermaid Delight, Pretending Tiger and Nectarous Duck Curry. Traditional Thai betel leaf parcels, known here as Call from the Past, are an adventure in texture, flavour and dexterity – eaten in one bite, these outstanding morsels of dried prawn, shredded coconut, peanut and caramelised palm sugar challenge the palate and hand-mouth coordination. The betel leaves, like many of the vegetables on the menu, are grown in the Swan Valley by chef and co-owner Itsara Pracharoenwattana, who has a PhD in plant molecular biology. Barramundi and scallops play second fiddle to the pair of plump king prawns that crown Three Kings of the Sea, served in a sticky caramel, lime, tamarind and chilli sauce. Choose a table in the climate-controlled tropical garden room, order a cocktail, and turn up the spice level.
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