Papaya Cammeray — Restaurant in Sydney

We visited this restaurant last night after booking well in advance. We even called the day before to confirm everything, and they assured us our booking and meal plans were fine. However, when we arrived, things went downhill quickly.

Our group was large, and we had made it clear beforehand that some of us wanted to do the banquet while others needed to order individual meals due to dietary requirements. We were told over the phone that this would be fine, but when we got there, the staff said it wasn’t possible even if we split the group into two separate tables with separate bills, which we suggested as a solution. This created unnecessary stress and confusion right from the start.

In the end, we all had to order individual meals. Unfortunately, three of our guests found their dishes far too spicy, even though the menu didn’t mention that and the staff didn’t warn us. Most of that food went uneaten.

More concerning was how poorly dietary restrictions were handled. One of our guests has a serious dairy allergy. When they asked about dairy-free options, the staff seemed unsure about what was safe. They were told the duck dish was “injected with milk,” which was very odd, and other options were ruled out without clear explanations. When asked what could be eaten safely, the staff simply said, “Everything,” which is a huge red flag when dealing with a life-threatening allergy.

As for my own meal, the curry I ordered tasted fantastic, but it wasn’t very filling. It only had a couple of pieces of potato and some meat in the sauce once the meat was gone, there was basically just liquid left. It would’ve been much better with something to make it more substantial, like noodles, bok choy, or extra vegetables.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there’s a $40 per-head minimum charge, which means that even if your meal only costs around $20, you’re still required to spend the full $40 per person. That was sitting in the back of our minds all night, and it definitely added to the pressure to order more just to meet the spend requirement.

Throughout the night, it also felt like the staff were frustrated or inconvenienced whenever we asked for anything. We often received looks or hesitation, as if it was a burden to help us. When we asked about dessert, it seemed like they didn’t really want to serve it to us, and when it finally came, there was no variety or flexibility for anyone with dietary restrictions.

To make things worse, the table was cleared very quickly almost as if they were trying to push us out of the restaurant. I wasn’t even asked what drink I wanted; I actually had to go up to the bar myself and tell the staff what I wanted to order. By the end of the night, it honestly felt like they just wanted us gone, which really dampened the whole experience.

The night itself was meant to be a celebration m something special for all of us but unfortunately, it didn’t end up feeling that way at all. What should have been a happy, relaxed evening turned into a stressful and disappointing experience.

Overall, the lack of communication, poor service attitude, limited menu flexibility, and disregard for dietary needs made this night very...

Pineapple fried rice—khao pad sapparod—served in a hollowed out pineapple looks like a tourist trap, something created for the ‘gram. However, it is thought to have originated in Thailand through Chinese immigration, with the dish having roots in Imperial Thai cuisine. In the manner of the royal dish, the pineapple fried rice ($27.90) at Papaya Cammeray has way more curry powder than most Sydney versions I’ve tried. Heavily seasoned with turmeric, it flavours the rice and the medley of beautifully cooked seafood—squid, prawns, fish and mussels—housed within. The pineapple container has been kissed with a blowtorch; hunks of (fresh) pineapple are bright and acidic; cashews gently roasted; and cherry tomatoes lightly blistered. It’s a show-stopper, and not just in a photographic sense.

The whole menu is beautifully illustrated. Miang kam ($15.90/4) look much like the exemplar with four prawns curled on fresh betel leaves on a pinch of aromatic ingredients dominated by toasted coconut shreds. Unlike the photograph, yum hua plee ($26.90)—banana flower salad—arrives disassembled, letting diners balance sour (lemon), sweet (coconut milk and chilli jam) and heat (freshly chopped red chillies) themselves. It takes me straight back to treasured memories of Lime & Lemongrass in Kings Cross. While the lamb shank curry ($23.90) looks nothing like the upstanding menu exemplar, dragging pliable roti ($3.50/each) through the soupy massaman curry is pleasurable. There’s also plenty of meat on the submerged shank, and the ribbed potatoes are perfectly cooked.

The floor and open kitchen team are friendly and accomodating. The dark wood setting, last spruced up in 2023, makes you feel like you’ve stepped beyond the 9–5. And you can bring your own wine for six bucks apiece, making this a well-priced midweek adventure that’s a cut above your average...

Unfortunately I've had to change my opinion of this restaurant, it's not consistent . I went there twice within a week this month ,December with different friends/family. The initial occasion the food was well presented & quite tasty. Last Sunday was 2nd occasion. Altho the place was not full, service was slow. The food presented was not at all like that seen visually on their menu. When we pointed this out the waitress said the selected dish no longer came that way. We told her they must remove the substantial photo from the menu as it's fauls advertising. All our meals arrived only just warm & greasy. As a result, one can presume either there was a different chef on the 2nd occasion or they had slackened off, it being a Sunday nite. Ultimately, we decided there are better Thai Restaurants around the North Shore to investigate. If you choose to go, hope it will be on a good...