Rice & Curry — Restaurant in Sydney

A reader recommendation led to another standout suburban Thai, this time in Pyrmont. Rice & Curry occupies the former digs of Sushi Club: the now-Thai kitchen still has the Japanese blonde wood awning. It’s a small and unassuming spot, with more tables outside than in, but the welcome is warm and the cooking is fragrantly aromatic.

Miang khum ($10/4)—betel leaves—are the perfect combination of salty, sweet, sour and hot. They’re topped with dried shrimp, small wedges of lime, ginger, chilli, red onion, roasted peanuts and toasted coconut, plus as much caramelised sugar jam as you care to apply (less is more here). With a freshly cracked young coconut ($7.90), they’ll transport you straight to the tropics, no matter how cold it might be outside.

Tender loops and tentacles of squid cooked in curry powder—pla meuk pad pong karee ($22.90)—are generously proportioned and delightful over steamed jasmine rice ($3/small). Thailand’s counterpart to the Laotian crispy rice salad I had last week, maem khao tod salad ($17.90), is nicely sour, presenting slightly harder smashed crispy rice balls in an abundance of quality leaves. Thai sausages (sai ua) don’t have the rice stuffing you find in the Laotian ones; and the versions here were light on aromatics. Staff expertly guided us to finish with kanom thuay ($5/2): little puddings that top sweet pandan jelly with salty coconut cream. Four bites large, they’re the perfect way to put your mouth back together after eating...

Update: I came back to Rice n Curry and was left disappointed. After not coming here for a few months, I decided to go back again. I ordered salt and pepper squid. The amount was smaller and didn't taste as good. I got a seafood dish, this was really terrible, the prawns were not fresh at all and the seafood in this was fishy. I also got the pad thai as I enjoy it, this time the portion size got smaller.

Rice and curry is like no other, it's amazing. They serve authentic Thai dishes that really taste delicious. The staff were friendly. I tried the Chicken Pad Thai, and it was incredible—full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The green curry was also tasty, with just the right amount of spice. The salt and pepper squid was crispy and so good.

I highly recommend Rice and Curry to anyone who loves Thai food. You won’t be...

absolutely lovely friendly staff; very authentic thai flavours in the dishes that had good variety of the standard stir fried, curries, fried rice, fried noodles… but also some specialty dishes that was a bit more elevated and even so the prices are very reasonable- nothing more than $25 but average is around $16. $2.50 per head for BYO anything (not just restricted to wine only). Outdoor seating is covered and quite comfy My faves were the pad Thai (stand out!), green curry and deep fried snapper fish, outstanding coconut ice cream and great som tum too. Thai milk tea served in a jumbo cup for only $5. Will definitely return and...