Derby Thai

4 Derby Rd
Caulfield East, VIC 3145

Exam Lunch Number Two. As nice as Uzu is, I am glad not to be braving the crowds there today. Instead, we are at Derby Thai, an equally small but slightly less busy eatery right next door. Most people are here for takeaway (which happens to be a dollar or so cheaper than eating in), but the small handful of tables there are have a rapid turnover, ensuring that a seat was available within a matter of minutes of placing our order. It’s impressive how friendly the staff manage to be despite the busyness of the lunch hour traffic.

Chicken Pad Thai ($10)

 

It just ain’t Thai without Pad Thai (chicken, $10), which had a pleasing lick of fire from the wok, and noodles as gratifyingly chewy as well-cooked rubber bands, in the best way possible. The chicken was cut up into large, manly chunks that were well-marinated and trimmed of all fat. However, the flavours in this dish were much too westernised, being excessively sweetened and lacking in sharpness, though it was infinitely improved by the freshness of the sprouts and lemon. At any rate, Chris enjoyed the sweetness, so I suppose they have their target audience right.

Seafood Fried Rice ($12)

Unfortunately I had broken my tongue on some m&ms earlier in the week, so I was forced to steer clear of the spices and fun. The Seafood Fried Rice ($12) seemed like a safe bet, as it was described to be ‘soft’ by another blogger. It was indeed soft and comforting, with a generous serve of seafood (calamari and prawn and mussels and scallops and fish balls) and crispy veggies. It was thankfully less sweet than the Pad Thai, though another notch (or two) lower would have been much appreciated. 

Derby Thai doesn’t so much serve the authentic Thai cuisine they advertise; rather, they are more of a Thai take-away spot that’s westernised to cater to the masses. That’s not to say the food isn’t nice though. It is, and the portions are generous, especially the amount of seafood you get in the fried rice. You’d be better off going elsewhere if you’re after the spices and heat traditional Thai cuisine offers, but this hits the spot as a quick pre-exam feed.

Rating: 12.5/20 – westernised thai.

Uzu

2 Derby Rd
Caulfield East, VIC 3145

Exams are pretty depressing. Food is significantly less so, and one minute I’m focussed on eating and taking photos is one minute I’m not spending freaking out. Having been past Uzu 8 times each year for the last 2 years, a visit to this quaint little Japanese corner eatery is long overdue. 

I have every reason to assume that when it’s less busy, Uzu is a darling of a spot with well loved cushions and a cheery little brazier in the corner. But add in hoards of students hankering for a pre/post-exam feed lining up out the door, letting the draught in and trekking water across the floor reduces the cosy factor a bit. It took a while for a couple of bench seats to free up, but there was no way we were going to be sitting outside. Not in this weather. At least the crowds mean we’re in the right place though; the take-away sushi certainly looked delectable. 

Beef Udon ($8.5)

It might just be the rain lashing at the windows speaking, but the Beef Udon ($8.5) was sensational. Thick tubes of chewy udon noodles slithered around in a beef and onion broth that’s alternately sweet and savoury from the mirin and dashi in the stock. But the noodles were overshadowed (albeit only just) by the delicate poached egg, with a yolk as golden as sunshine, and whites as tender as a baby’s bottom. Slurp and slurp and slurp, then burp and burp and burp.  

Kaisen Don ($11.5)

I was angsting over what to order until my eyes set upon the Kaisen Don ($11.5). The most expensive item on the menu, it consisted of thinly sliced sashimi (salmon, tuna and calamari) draped over a crunchy daikon salad, underneath which was hidden two disks of tofu on a bed of sushi rice scattered with seaweed shavings. What a lovely and fresh lunch this was, especially the pale, translucent pieces of calamari that snapped against the teeth with a twang. My only minor gripe was that the sashimi came drizzled with a wasabi soy sauce, which is fine if you like the combination, but not so much if you don’t. 

Uzu appears to be a firm favourite with the students at the nearby Monash Caulfield, as well as the exam crowds at Caulfield racecourse, and it’s not hard to see why. With a good variety of fresh yummy food, and prices that haven’t changed since... ever by the looks of it, it meets the holy trinity of being easy on the tastebuds, the waistline, and of course, the wallet. 

Rating: 14/20 – slurp’n’burp.