A 2015 rebrand and relocation hasn’t dulled the appeal of Ying Thai, which has been a go-to for home-style Thai cuisine in Abbotsford since 1996. Mother Ying has been turning up to the kitchen every day since its inception to cook and prepare all the curries and sauces that make this Thai dining experience more special than most.

With its walls a mere few shades lighter than Thai iced tea, the restaurant’s interiors are like the food in their lack of pretence – exactly what makes the food worth praising and returning for. Start your meal with fish cakes, spring rolls and sausages alongside a selection of Thai beverages – such as their special family-recipe Thai ice tea, or beer, mangosteen juice and palm juice imported from Thailand.

Larger dishes to share are an even greater delight and include crispy-skin pork salad, green chicken curry, kao kua, a number of fried fish plates and pad prik gang or duck stir-fried with chilli paste and basil. Without a doubt, Ying Thai is one of Melbourne’s most authentic Thai eateries.