DoDee Paidang Swanston — Restaurant in Melbourne

August 2025: I am a Level 7 contributor on Google and regularly review restaurants in Melbourne and Asia. Dodee has a strong presence on social media and has been on my list for a long time. What appeals to me was the lunch specials. I decided to try 2 of their lunch specials: 1 item + 1 drink for $19.90 and their meats on rice/noodles for $12. Is it really worth it?

👍 The ordering system is efficient via the QR code. You can pay by card or cash. If you are paying by cash, go to the counter, pay the bills and the orders will be sent to the kitchen. If you are paying by card, there are further prompts to give a tip, and extra surcharges.

🍜 👍 I ordered the Dodee variety with Thai iced tea. It's basically noodle soup with a mixture of ingredients. The portion is moderate, but not too small; bigger than Pinto's boat noodles. The soup really amazed me with its rich pork broth, tanginess and a slight note of spiciness. The meat balls were of interest because they tasted hand-made. If I were to go back to the restaurant, I would order their soup 🍜.

🐷👎👎Next, I decided to check out their $12 lunch special. I ordered the crispy pork on rice. My premise is that if the food is so good, they can't go wrong with the crispy pork. When my plate arrived, there was about 8 to 10 pieces of crispy pork. However, they were NOT CRISPY AT ALL. The skin tasted like rubber. There were 2 slices of sausage that was commended by a reviewer. All I can say is there's more flour than meat in the sausage slices. I will never order any of their $12 specials. If I want crispy pork, China Bar is just a few stores down.

What's the vibe like? The venue is quite small, with densely packed tables. It gave me the impression of a place catering more to the international students. I believe that the service will be quite chaotic during busy times.

I will come back again for the noodle soup ✨️✨️✨️✨️. Follow me for honest recommendations of good food in...

DoDee Paidang on Swanston is where you go when you want Thai food that doesn’t hold back on flavour or heat. The space has the usual CBD buzz, with tables close together, quick turnover, and the sound of spoons tapping against steaming bowls. It feels casual, fun, and built for groups of friends or a solo late-night fix.

The signature here is their tom yum noodle soup, offered in spice levels that range from gentle to “challenge accepted.” Even at a medium heat, the broth is rich, sour, and fragrant, with lime leaf and chilli oil rising first before the depth of pork and seafood stock comes through. The toppings are generous. pork ribs fall off the bone, fish balls have that springy bite, crispy wontons add crunch, and fried garlic ties everything together. If you’re feeling adventurous, the spiciest levels really are a badge of honour.

Beyond the soup, the menu runs wide. Pad Thai is smoky and balanced, not too sweet, with chewy noodles and plenty of crunch from peanuts and sprouts. Crispy pork belly with holy basil is a standout. crackly skin, tender meat, and a savoury chilli hit. Som tum (papaya salad) is zingy and refreshing, perfect alongside richer dishes. Portions lean hearty, so a couple of mains plus a soup shared between two is often enough.

Service is fast, staff are friendly even during rush hours, and the kitchen keeps things moving smoothly. Prices are fair for the CBD, especially given the portions, though a line at peak times is normal, worth the wait.

If you want Thai food that brings real punch and doesn’t tone things down for the city centre, DoDee Paidang Swanston is a go-to. Go with an appetite, maybe a cold drink, and a willingness to...

Rude and aggressive staff.

This’s my first time here but will never again. I came for lunch with my friend. We were very excited to try the food since your restaurant has been rated impressively.

While we were placing order. One of the staffs approached me and asked if we could move to the next table so that she could connect some tables to accommodate a group of 8 guests. We were happy to move to the next table. Then another staff Zi Zi came, and roughly said to us that a guest from another table has paid for us. I haven’t realized what was going on, then Zi Zi said: “You have to pay before getting food”. I asked Zi Zi if I can pay after the meal. She responded “No, now”.

I came to pay at the counter and the continuous attitude received from Zi Zi was unacceptable. I asked her what was the issue, how could my bill came to another table. She said that “That’s our mistake not informed me that we have to pay in advance as the orders were mixed up”. Obviously that was not our fault, I was helping the staff in the beginning instead. However Zi Zi talked to me very harshly and did not even bother to even say sorry I don’t expect any apology here but at least talk to me properly.

I come here to enjoy lunch, paid almost $A80 but the treatment I received was totally inappropriate, she treated us like we come to DoDee begging for food.

I was shocked and very disappointed with the language ZiZi had used that showed such poor customer service. Sorry but no sorry, no matter how delicious the food is, there will be...