As part of Good Food Month- many of the premier restaurants offer cooking classes to the public. They keep the classes small –around 10 people and give an in depth look and… most coveted- the recipies for favourite dishes. I took the Class at Benzin Thai located on Crown street in Surry Hills. The class on offer was to learn how to make their extremely popular Green Papaya Spicy Salad. The class was an absolute ball.
We were provided the tools and the opportunity to use a professional kitchen- with one on one tutorage from the owner and Chef. Not just a watch and learn experience- the Chef actually had us work hands on- critiquing and helping our crushing and grinding skills along with analyzing the flavor of the dish we each put out. After the class was complete, we were provided a fabulous meal which featured our salads, chicken and two types of rice so that we could compare the interaction of the flavours in the salad with other dishes. For only $35- these classes are a great value for money and something completely different to add to your travel experience.
A note on Benzin Thai- it is sister restaurants with the infamous Sailor Thai on Circular Quay. The menu is the same as what is on offer in the Canteen section of Sailor Thai. Benzin- which apparently is the Thai word for gasoline (or so I was told) is an oddly appropriate name. A truly unique space- the kitchen and dining area are smack in the middle of a car dealer’s show room. You may dine on lovely fresh Thai food enjoy a glass of wine and go home in your shiny new Austin Martin or Volvo! What a great concept for decorating- the scenery is lovely and shiny- and always changing!
