TL;DR: For all the times that the hype is something that simply can't be lived up to, there will be that exception which manages to live up to the reputation. Better yet is when they go beyond it, and that is Boo's Kitchen summed up briefly. You get dynamic food here unlike many other places, the scenery and the atmosphere get complemented well with laid-back service. This marries the hidden gem feel of being secluded while it is in the middle of much hustle and bustle. Boo might well take the mantle for Brisbane's finest Thai.
Over the years, I have seen so many Thai places around town. While there is rarely ever on that is not up to scratch, the case often ends up that they are just out of reach. That is out of reach of being something truly special, in particular giving out a unique vibe or approach. Exceptions can pop up on the odd occasion, and I knew right from reading about Boo's Kitchen that we possibly have that case on our hands.
The influence is right from the homeland and the love of cooking flowing through the veins. Family and passion drive the momentum behind the operation, and once that knows it all becomes apparent. I have always seen Thai service as top tier, and this might go above and beyond - the sense of earnestness is enough to guide me back here.
It was time again to meet up with a friend of mine, this time it was for lunch. In taking turns choosing where to head to, the ball was in my court this time. I was hellbent on a particular cuisine, which turned out to be Thai. Whatever the cuisine would eventually be, I would decide the actual place afterward.
The second part about this involved Zomato Gold. I'm sure many of us here have done the odd bit of online shopping; I'm even more sure we have been at the checkout part and had that small voice in your head stop you from completing the transaction. That was it for me until the hounding from the app offered a small trial for one month costing a mere dollar. Who could resist that?
Hence, all that remained was finding somewhere that was Thai and that was under Zomato Gold. Cue the fanfare music, since Boo's Kitchen was the place - and I had heard good things about it for a long time, and something about it was distinctive. This was the place to hit up some lunch before I had my volunteer work in the afternoon.
You could walk by Boo's Kitchen and not even notice it. This is in the middle of everything, a very busy junction that is not far away from several popular landmarks. Going with their choice of decor, and how it is set up, this blends into the scenery and looks out of place at the same time. Both being said in the most complimentary of ways.
It is half-inside, half-outside, as they do have al fresco dining available, and the dining indoors is open to the elements. They get the right amount of shade, some sunlight, and fresh air. The seating is comfortable, and the moment you plonk yourself into a seat you find yourself right at home. At the forefront of the restaurant, it is a bar complete with several drinks to offer plus a coffee machine. All those small touches are enough to let you know they will take care of you, and stand out since they buck the trend of many a Thai restaurant that peppers the suburbs.
They have struck a good balance regarding customer service. On the whole, Boo's Kitchen has the air of somewhere high up from the attention to detail yet, on the other hand, the atmosphere is laidback. You don't feel like you are waiting too long for the food to arrive, yet there is no sense of urgency with getting everything out and done. Throughout it all, in true Thai fashion, you would be hardpressed to find service that is warmer and more inviting than right here.
When getting customer service right, the basics are a good way to start and it is all an art going from there. To me, the first order of business before anything else (even the menus) is getting the waters. That is something they did, setting us up beautifully before allowing the menus to be perused.
The relaxing decor, secluded atmosphere, plus the customer service that is practically inviting you in right from the street all go hand-in-hand with their menu. If you are planning for the long run, and have a few decent stomachs to feed, this is the right place to either book or just waltz in.
Now, this is the way to do a menu. It has got a bit of everything, and then some. As is already clear, Thai is the name of the game; this comes with a couple of specialties. Their focus is particularly on the Northern region, which focuses on salads and other fresh produce. The other notable specialty is one seafood. Usually, you can see with most Thai places - particularly in takeaways - that seafood options are a bit tacked on. As will be indicated, this is not the case this time.
Boo puts her best foot forward on the first page, with an array of her favourite dishes to cook. Already you see the Northern influence and focus on seafood. Each one sounds just as delicious as the last, but can the weary traveler venture forward? You might get rewarded.
After that, it follows the usual route of most menus. They have the entrees, a small range that mixes up the favourites along with a few additions showcasing the kitchen's specialties. These should be enough the whet most appetites. After that is the seafood selection. Each one has been given special attention, extending beyond many favourites with a more subtle, distinctive method to compliment the more light and delicate nature of our more aquatic produce.
Salads aren't just something thrown in the back pages for the vain hopes of the health-conscious. Instead, they hover around the centerfold and showcase several available types of meat. These are more meals than something on the side. After all of that come the expected Thai standards - curries, hot soups, noodle dishes, and stir-fries.
On a peculiar note, there is a section for the more standard Western fare. These are a few burgers, toasted sandwiches, and a few bar snacks. Given their location - closely adjacent to the hospital - this accommodates the busy folk working hectic schedules there; they will need something quick, and something comforting. They are in good hands if this is their stop.
Rounding off the food menu, they pepper it with a small sides section offering bread and rice. If the diners have enough room in their stomachs, Ms. Boo has finished and sweetened the deal with a few classic desserts.
Through all of this, every page of the menu has a description on the top talking about the best ways to enjoy each session of a meal. You can think about it as the waiter at a hatted restaurant describing the details of every degustation course coming to your table. It shows a real distinction in the craft and showcases an earnest love for cooking.
When somewhere - regardless of the cuisine - is going for that distinction in quality, they will surely not be skimping on a decent drinks menu. In particular, a wine menu - and right here is no exception. They take that extra mile by having a page of tasting notes to complement each bottle. Additionally, you can cosy up with either a local or imported beer; for us here to choose not to drink, we have got ourselves the usual sodas, some juice, plus tea and coffee. It is all good and sorted at Boo's.
The first round for ordering was getting some drinks. I saw that there was a coffee machine, which sealed the deal for me. It was more a percolator than an espresso machine, and that was good enough for me. I went with a black coffee to start the meal.
This may never have an allure akin to espresso, nor that artistic touch prevalent with Turkish coffee and its ilk. Yet, the biggest strength percolated coffee has is its consistency. This consistency, at least to me, is often pretty satisfying. There was a distinct coffee flavour, a little less bitter than its reputation, and the temperature was somewhat hot though not tongue-scolding. Despite coffee's reputation of being a stimulant, this mode has something relaxing about it while you take your time drinking it. That is how I see this kind of coffee, and it was a good start to the meal.
While still on the subject about the coffee, there can now be a backlog for knowing somewhere open slightly later giving out a good coffee. It is a left-field choice regarding coffee and takes a slight detour, but any gourmand worth their salt knows the best finds are uncovered that way.
After the drinks were sorted, the business turned to food. The best place to start was with the entree menu. Normally the mixed entree is something that I go right past; this time I made an exception. This was right for two people, having two pieces apiece. On our plate were spring rolls, curry puffs, fish cakes, and chicken satay skewers.
Each one was just as delicious as the last. While spring rolls are often the same sort of ordeal nearly every time, this was a slight exception to that rule. These were vegetarian, and the mixture was not ambiguous. Additionally, these were cooked fresh and hot as the pastry was crispy. What became better yet was the curry puffs; these guys were a combination of potato and minced chicken, which was then spiced. and fried in a delicious pastry. There is something about these suckers that is hard to resist.
On the more meat-based side were the fish cakes, and chicken skewers. Thai fish cakes are one of these things that once you have tried one, you know how they are. These were pretty good. However, what I reckon might have been the best from the selection was the satay chicken skewers. The cooks took whole pieces of the thigh, cut a big strip, marinated them appropriately, and cooked them right on the skewer. It was such succulent meat, infused with a great marinade, which only got better when dipped in the thick, peanut sauce.
And could you believe that this is the beginning? Next up was getting a couple of mains to share around. While it took several skims back and forth through the menu, it landed on getting one of Boo's Favourites - the duck in sweet sauce - and a seafood option, a choo chee curry with scallops.
Whenever duck is one the menu, you just know someone in your crew is fanging for it. Everything good about high-quality cooking comes to fruition, often with something simple enough in execution. They take half a bird, not before it gets cooked until the skin is crispy as it can get, and it is then served with a garden of fresh vegetables on the side, plus the sauce to pour-over. There is no other way to do it.
Most of the meat on that was served was the dark variety, which has its language in flavour. It is hard to describe what exactly it is, but to me, it is more exciting. This was very tender, the skin was delicious and crispy absorbing all kinds of flavours during the long cooking process. In many ways, it was necessary to have all those fresh vegetables on the side as a contrast - on their own, they were merely vegetables.
With the scallop curry, it was presented beautifully. If this were going the Michelin star route, you just know they would have been served in the half-shell. There was that air about it. Nevertheless, this was also a simple approach but one that needed the delicate touch with a steady hand. Let's just say, it was a roaring success. That red curry sauce was fiery (requested hot, of course), with a smooth texture based on the coconut cream sauce. I always liked scallops, even as a fussy eater during childhood; something about how lithe they are, with a gentle flavour. They were the perfect choice to infuse into this sauce, and it proved furthermore to be a success.
To accompany both the main meals, it was to get a couple of things on the side. That was some roti (what else when it comes to a curry, wherever it is from) and a choice of rice - my friend went with coconut. Both of these were great; they simply did what they needed to do. The roti was appropriately buttery, hot, and stretched itself apart; there is little that epitomises great eating than using roti or something similar to mop up sauce remnants on the plate. Plus, as long as the rice is fluffy and plump it is doing its job effectively.
All of this was merely a taste of what the chefs have got in store for any hungry client walking through that door, and I already envision going back. Every dish is just the right size, maybe going into the large category. This will mean no-one leaves with a stomach that isn't full. If this is the bar that they have set, you know full well that multiple revisits are warranted - and if you know how to play the game properly, there will be someone else in tow each time so you can show them what a delicious meal looks and tastes like.
I have said many times that while Thai food rarely ever fails to satisfy, its main albatross is you more or less know what they will have before you go. That is not to say you can't get your usual Pad Thai or red curry here, but they foremost focus on such an eclectic menu. It is a good starting point for why Boo's Kitchen ends up being highly recommended.
It all comes together as somewhere special, from its attention to detail with quality food, a relaxing environment that feels hidden from the world, plus top-notch customer service. This is no small feat to say this, with everything that is considered - and years of eating a lot of it - the Magnus opus for Thai cuisine in Brisbane may well be at this place.
And just to think, this is an unassuming hidey-hole in the shadow of the Mater Hospital. It is true to say, the best places are often the least flashy. While I had heard about this place and was wanting to find a reason to get there sometime, it was only with a keen eye I managed to locate it beforehand. In the end, I am glad it came to fruition. This gets a thorough recommendation.
Final rating: 4.5 - quite possibly a 5.0, but I swear I have to go back. It seems just too good.
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