Doodee Boran — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I only recently discovered this gem tucked behind an office building after a friend highly recommended this place.

The entrance is not easily seen as you need to walk into a laneway to find it. As I was one of the first to arrive for their evening session, I managed to absorb the brightly painted outdoor furniture. It was the silence before the storm as quite quickly the restaurant became lively and busy with people while others patiently waited in line for a table.

To start of with, we ordered the spicy grilled squid and the crispy fried wings. Both were cooked to perfection but the grilled squid was what impressed me the most. The charcoal-grilled squid was very soft and tender and the sweet and sour chilli dipping sauce complimented the squid. Portion size was somewhat small but within reason for the price and quality. The crispy fried wings were literally, "crispy fried wings". Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Perfectly cooked.

For mains, we ordered the duck curry, stewed beef glass noodle soup, and papaya salad. Everything was cooked with rich Thai favours. The duck curry definitely stood out amongst the rest as the portion size was quite generous and the curry did not overpower the duck flavour. The duck was very tender and fresh.

For drinks, I highly recommend the coconut frappe. It is made from real coconut juice and chunks, then blended with coconut milk into a smooth frappe. Very refreshing and not overly sweet.

The tiger prawn glass noodles as it was one of the chef recommendations. The portion size was very generous although the prawns were somewhat overcooked and a mushy. Notwithstanding this, the noodle was very rich with prawn flavours.

Staff were very friendly. Price-wise, it is reasonable for the quality and service. Parking is a bit of an issue as city parking is not the easiest. If you are fortunate enough, you might be able find street parking right outside the restaurant. Street parking is very limited on Charlotte Street though.

Good ambience but the tables were a little sticky.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to those wanting good Thai food...

I came as part of a large group and appreciated being able to order and pay separately at the counter. Being there with my non/low-spice tolerant family meant getting tame options, but I definitely had some food envy seeing some of the other items on our long table! We enjoyed our picks though found the pad Thai noodles thinner than what we’re used to, and wished the portions were larger. No lack of flavour though 👍

Had a palm juice which is made from palm seeds, aka attap seeds or attap chee. The sweet, translucent, and slightly gelatinous flesh of the immature fruit of the nipa or mangrove palm is a common dessert ingredient in places like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. I’ve had the fruit before in items like ais kacang though don’t think I’ve ever had the juice, and certainly haven’t noticed the drink anywhere else in Brisbane so it was a nice novelty to drink.

Our order: A30 pad thai chicken, $16.20 - homemade tamarind sauce cooked with thin rice noodle & chicken A36 grandpa pork, $16.90 - stir fried pork with garlic, lemongrass & sweet soy sauce Iced black coffee with milk, $6.20 Palm juice, $5 Plain rice, $3 Also pictured is one of the seafood specials others near us ordered - a whole barramundi in three flavours of chilli (A53, $33.50).

Doodee Boran is tucked away at the back of a little laneway beside 46 Charlotte St, with Roti Place on the other side. The venue was very popular on the night we went, with people queuing for tables. Reservations are definitely recommended. Service was fairly quick, with our drinks served within 5 minutes and food coming out within 10-15 minutes. With over 60 items on the menu, there’s a lot to choose from to satisfy all tastes. Looking forward to trying more next time 👌

Tips: A large chunk of the menu is only available for dinner, so come from 5:30pm if you want the full range at your disposal. Bring cash if you want to avoid the card...

We recently visited this Thai restaurant for the first time after hearing quite a bit of hype. Unfortunately, our experience was mixed and didn’t quite live up to expectations.

We ordered the soft-shell crabs, which were well-prepared and flavourful – definitely the highlight of our meal. However, the rest of the dishes were underwhelming. The Pad Thai was a bit sweet and lacked the balanced savoury and tangy notes we typically associate with the dish. I also ordered the dry noodles, which turned out to be very bland and lacking in seasoning or any distinct taste.

The restaurant was busy, noisy and there was a queue to get in, which is usually a promising sign. However, once we were seated, we were a bit disappointed to be assigned a very small table clearly meant for 2, despite there being three of us dining. It felt quite cramped in one dark corner and made for an uncomfortable dining experience. While I appreciate that the staff were friendly, it was frustrating when I noticed a few empty tables inside and asked whether we could move, only to be told they were available and we need to move our cups and utensils etc.

In terms of food selection, the menu seemed somewhat limited compared to other Thai restaurants we’ve been to. We had expected a broader variety of options, especially for a place with such a strong reputation and long wait times.

All in all, while the staff were polite and the soft-shell crab was enjoyable, the overall experience fell short. With so many other Thai dining options around offering better variety, value, and comfort, I’m not sure we’ll be returning...