Rue de Siam (click here to visit their website), located in Bank Street close to Adelaide’s city railway station, describes itself as a Thai French fusion bar and restaurant. It’s perfect for a special lunch or dinner, either with a group or as a couple. The setting is urban, with Bank Street being a small side street, busy with people coming and going from the station.
We visited on a warm summer’s day. Not having been overseas for far too long (thanks to COVID), we were looking forward to a relaxing afternoon, talking and sipping wine, while experiencing a little slice of France with a Thai twist.
The Vibe
We turned on to Bank Street and were immediately transported to the street food districts of Asia. Out the front of Rue de Siam was a barbeque style grill upon which a chef was cooking satays. The smoke was drifting up the street and the smell was reminiscent of browsing the street food vendors in Singapore or its Asian neighbours.
On entering the restaurant, we passed a red telephone booth as we headed up a few stairs, and were immediately taken in by the colourful décor and large picture windows adjacent to the welcoming booths. Given the restaurant is slightly elevated, we had a great view over Bank Street and the satay grill.
The space is decorated in a rich colour scheme with an interesting mix of light fittings, fans, and gorgeously framed vintage photos and other memorabilia. There are feature pieces such as the brass gramophone, French inspired chandelier and a pink neon bar sign. The feeling was that the best of European luxe and exotic Asia had come together, and had fused so well that we could imagine we were on either continent.
We were warmly welcomed by Rue de Siam’s engaging front of house team member, and were fortunate enough to be seated in a booth. The large picture windows were folded completely open. We felt like we were dining on a balcony overlooking busy Bank Street. We were able to people-watch in style as we sipped our wine throughout the afternoon.
The Menu
Some brief facts on the Menu: Rue de Siam has a lunch menu which is made up of options that are intended for one person, and sized for a quicker visit. The dinner menu has dishes which have been designed for sharing and are suited to a more leisurely experience, with starters and main options. We had asked if dishes from their dinner menu were also available during our lunch time visit, and they were, which gave us an even wider range of choice.
We selected a bottle of nice, crisp and cold Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling. It ended up being a great accompaniment to the flavours of the food. After placing our order, we sat back and admired the colourful surroundings. The choice and presentation of unique pictures and decorative ornamental pieces added to the feel of the place. It was easy to imagine we were in a small private hotel somewhere far away from our everyday routine.
Our Plate Selection
Our starters arrived without too much delay. The Picante Prawn Rolls were cutely presented in a decorative cocktail glass. Money Bags containing pork and prawn were lined up on a long plate, with tasty, not too sweet, plum sauce. Both starters were delicious and crispy (and steaming hot!).
We opted for a bit of a break before the mains were prepared. It was lovely to just sit back and watch the street scenes unfold. People on their lunch breaks were stopping to buy satays, and the smoke continued to drift up past the other eateries in the vicinity. Having the windows open meant we could enjoy the smells and the summer air.
Our mains arrived after a well timed intermission. The Marinated Beef and Basil stir fry was fragrant and colourful (from the lunch menu). The Cordelia Crocodile (yes, it really was crocodile meat, cooked in white wine, galangal and peppercorns, from the dinner menu) was glossy and beautifully presented.
We took our time eating and enjoying the range of flavours. It was lovely to be chatting and reminiscing about holidays past in such an inviting setting. We were comfortable in the well cushioned booths which provided great seating to slowly work our way through our wine.
The Wrap Up
Rue de Siam has a great vibe and everything we tried was tasty and beautifully presented. The staff were friendly and ensured we felt relaxed and comfortable. What we really loved about it was that it felt like we were in a lovely little corner of a restaurant we had discovered whilst on holiday. A place where the service is friendly and the food is always good. And that you wished you’d discovered earlier so you can go a second time before your holiday ends. We are looking forward to our next ‘lunch-time’ holiday at Rue de Siam.
2 comments
Looked and sounded very enjoyable
It was worth the visit!