Lek's Thai Pop Up Kitchen

"Overview This is a cute little coffee shop called Paddington Social by day that morphs into a Thai restaurant called Lek's, after 5pm. What a great idea to maximise your profitability by using the space around the clock. Food We arrived at 6.30pm on a Thurs night for a Thai dinner. There were four in our little group. We started with some liquid refreshment: a Balter ale and a few glasses of Prosecco sparkling wine. For an entrée, we shared a plate of fish cakes and followed that up with two beef massaman curries, two vegetarian dishes, and two bowls of coconut rice. The fish cakes were neatly presented in a little round basket with a spicy sauce. The cakes were firm and chunky and the perfect way to start. The main meals didn’t disappoint either. The veg dishes were chock full of fresh, colourful and wholesome ingredients and the massaman beef curry was the tastiest I’ve had in a long time. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender and cut into smallish pieces. The whole concoction was drenched in a creamy curry sauce and sprinkled with peanuts to give it a crunchy texture. The two serves of coconut rice were the ideal accompaniment and we all enjoyed our meals. Portion sizes were generous. Only thing that I wasn’t mad about were the tin plates that the main meals were served in.. Service When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the friendly maître d and made to feel welcome. It seemed like there were only two staff on duty, the maître d and her assistant, a pretty Thai lady in beige slacks. They were both super efficient, polite and helpful. Service was quick and the drinks and the food came out a steady clip and in the correct order. These guys didn’t miss a beat the whole evening and everything flowed smoothly from arrival to food delivery and payment at the front desk. Atmosphere The Thai restaurant part of the joint is a small, narrow space that’s been decorated in a minimalist, rather spartan style with plain grey walls, strong downlights, stone floors and wooden furniture. But it does have an impressive central feature: A huge planter box overflowing with greenery and hanging from the roof. Despite it being midweek, the small space was almost full, although that did make it a tad loud with all that wood, glass and stone, and no carpeting or noise absorbers. Cost Between the four of us, we had three drinks, one shared entrée, four mains and two bowls of rice. A year or two ago, this would have been about 120, but last night we paid 135 PLUS another 1% for a “payments surcharge”, so 136 altogether. By the standards of today, I guess that’s fair value but it just goes to show the extent to which Australia’s hyperinflationary crisis, which was fuelled by ultra low interest rates, massive govt spending and money printing, is continuing to destroy the purchasing power of our currency. Toilets There are two clean and well provisioned toilets at the back of the restaurant, both with soap and hand towels. Parking There’s plenty of free and unrestricted parking in any of the nearby side streets. When in this area, we usually park in Campbell Street, behind the Paddo. Summary We had a pleasant evening at Lek’s/Paddington Social. It has a nice cool, relaxed and laid back vibe, service is attentive and efficient and the food is excellent. Add to that, clean toilets and easy parking close to the restaurant and you have all the ingredients for a pleasant and fun night out with family or friends."

"Had dinner at this place and had the pad see ew with pork belly and pad Kee mao with chicken. The noodles could have been chewier but flavours were great. My friend recommends the pork belly. Service staff were very friendly and went out of their way to help set the heater up as we were seated outside and it was chilly. 3.5/5"

"Fantastic service, and a great overall meal a few weeks ago when I visited with family and friends. Papaya salad was delicious but I personally thought it could've used more chilli. Barramundi was fresh and a safe option, nothing "stood out". Massaman beef flavour was amazing but the beef was on the drier side (even for pulled beef). Lastly I thought that the pad see ew and beef cheek yellow curry both were cooked perfectly and we're definitely the stand outs for the night. Thanks for an amazing dining experience overall! We look forward to returning."

"We ordered the sticky pork ribs and massaman beef. The ribs had a delicious crispy exterior, complemented with soft and smooth meat. The massaman was creamy and full of flavour with a delicious slow cooked beef."

"Got told about this place from a friend, and I’m super appreciative as I’ve found a Thai favourite! Happy days. Parking might be challenging, but the food and service makes it well worth the effort and time spent. This occasion was an impromptu dinner for two. They have several dishes to appease the vegos and vegans and even before my dinner arrived, I was already asking to see their breakfast menu and planning my next visit. The food was a delight to the eyes and taste buds. Compliments and kisses to the chef/s. No hesitation in recommending this restaurant and I look forward to my next visit. Special shout out to our host, Emily. Your service and attitude was so charming, you are an asset to the restaurant. Thank you!"