Review Spice I Am - Sydney

I guess I won’t visit this diner again. Reason: 1. Too pricy. Even stir fried noddles cost you over 20 and the quantity and taste is just standard. 2. The food is tailored to Westerners preference. I guess Asians won’t really love the food that much. Too sweet and too dry. 3. The place is really small and congested. I came there at 7:50 and wait 20 mins 3. The service. Some people are okay, a few are bit, hmmm, not that friendly With the same price, I guess I can get more authentic and nice yummy Thai food at Thai town without waiting. Why bother to get over there?

Must try Jungle curry with plain rice but must be a brave heart to handle the ultimate level of spicy food. Even spicy noodle had its own unique flavour. A must visit place if you are in this area.

This is my heaven. Must say one of my favourite restaurants in the city. Flavours of everything that comes out from that little kitchen are dangerously delicious. Love how spicy food is. Be prepared for Food celebration if you visit this tiny but amazing restaurant.

Our favourite thai spot to our surprise because its not flashy but it’s always fully packed. We always come here to order the same thing- spicy pork belly (Pork pak peking) and mixed vegetable with oyster sauce (sounds simple but its not). So so yummy, we are going again soon!

Absolutely the best Thai food in Sydney. 90 Wentworth Avenue Sydney, little hole in the wall restaurant. Nothing to look at but the food is authentic and fabulous. You have to like spicy food!

Fried rice was delicious and so was the papaya salad. The only thing preventing a 5 star exp is the green curry which was too hot(chili) to consume and i wasnt expecting it. The staff was great and provided quick service. Overall its a good place for some delicious food. Recommend it.

Lovely little humble Thai restaurant. Fantastic customer service from friendly and helpful staff. Meals were nicely presented, authentic and tasted delicious. Thank you.

Snapper is a good fish for frying but it is smaller and worse value than tilapia most commonly found at Thai restaurants. Green mango salad went well with it. They recently adjusted price and 1 serving of rice is $5 now! Mieng Ka Na did not have finger lime (seasonal) and way too much sugar in it. Basil fried chicken is very tough. Sauce is mostly garlic taste with weak basil. Restaurant is small and they don’t manage queue well. People came later can jump in. No reservation can be made here. The last thing is not restaurant’s fault but I find it worth mentioning for overall experience. That is we had at least 4 irregular separate individuals loitering around the footpath and causing disturbance to the patrons during the visit here. It was not very peaceful to eat here. My overall opinion is this place is pricey, average and a bit of waste of time.

Sydney has no shortage of excellent Thai restaurants.  It was after my time living there that I realized just how poor the Thai food is in the US (at least, where I've lived).  I've visited all the Sydney institutions by now, including those that have since closed (tears, I miss you Sailor's Thai (particularly the Canteen!!)

4.5/5 <br/><br/>This place is tiny and not made for a long dinner nor comfortable enough to sit and talk with friends, but the food is delicious. We got there early enough to get a table without waiting. <br/><br/>Menu is huge and i’m impressed how small the kitchen looks. <br/>The food came in 5-10 minutes, very quick! The papaya salad is very refreshing and flavourful. The basil crispy pork is of big portion, spicy and salty, perfect with rice. <br/><br/>Chicken penang curry is creamy and rich, and the seafood tom yum is full of umami and has a good tang. I wish they gave us little bowls as well (we should have asked :p) <br/><br/>Overall very satisfying meal, although some dishes were spicier than we expected. Price is not the cheapest around, but it’s worth it. We will try to come again.

Absolutely love the food and fast service. BYO

Heard a lot about this place and it’s always super packed so had pretty high expectations. Came here for lunch and there’s no wait required on a Saturday. $15.50 for pad thai and a simple fried rice is at the higher range for what I would pay for these dishes and unfortunately they were just okay, not outstanding or worth the price. Prefer to just go to a chinatown foodcourt tbh or chat thai. The pad thai wasn’t really balanced in flavour and quite stingy on the toppings, fried rice was dry and lacked that signature ‘wok-flavour.’ service was also non-existent...

Fantastic food, plenty of spice if you like it hot, But also many mild dishes. Food comes out quickly. The only downside is the space - it can get quite cramped, but that’s easily overlooked when the food comes out. Be sure to book early as it always seems to be packed.

Spice I Am is one of our favourites for genuine Thai food. The flavours are authentic and does not compromise to fit Western tastes. Try the Gaeng Som Cha-om Goong, a kind of omelette in sour prawn curry. We always order this when we visit. It is delicious. Service can be patchy and the restaurant is tiny. But the food more than makes up for it.

Definitely a step up on richness - simple but good quality Thai. Lunch is a good time to go as tables are available and the lunch special prices are reasonable. The normal prices seemed pretty scary for such simple food, crowded grotty dining room and slow service (one person’s main arrived in 3 minutes, the next was 15 minutes after that).

Terrible service. The staff argued with me when I asked them to add chilli to the curry in the kitchen. I asked them to ask the kitchen and they refused. Food was gross. Would definitely not go back again.

The staff were so rude, didnt greet us when we walked in or smile they didnt look like they wanted to be there and when we asked for water the waitress rolled her eyes.. the pad thai was okay but the curry puffs tasted like they were from the freezer and then put in the microwave

I come here often because the food for the price and location is actually pretty decent. But the service is disgusting. They treat costumers like trash, and are visibly rude. Lord forbid you ask for something extra like chilli or a knife, it’s like the end of the world for them to actually get it. Never coming back.

The queuing crowd is the first thing you notice about Spice I am, weeknight or weekend.  Then you peek inside the restaurant and there it is – a dozen of tables crammed into a confined space at best 20 square meters plus a few more on the pavement. You would notice that some tables are having canned beers, others red or white wine.  Spice I am offers BYO wine or beer at no corkage charge.  A small amount of revenue is foregone in exchange of customer turnover.  Be mindful that the restaurant doesn’t provide ice bucket to keep your white wine cool though.

Spice I Am is featured in numerous top Thai lists in Sydney and so, I had been looking to try this place like forever. Small place but I do love the part indoor/outdoor feel in the summer, similar to several places in the area. I am not sure if it was a bad day or because we were a bit restricted to what we could order as my friend is quite fussy with his food or even due to my high expectations but it wasn't a great experience for me. I felt that the Pad See Ew lacked flavours and so did the chicken which was also slightly overcooked and rubbery. Service was average; not terribly friendly but not too slow either. Oh well, perhaps I'll have better luck next time.

How do I miss this place for a review?<br/>This is one of my favorite place for Thai food, and been here since 12 years ago, I’m sure this restaurant open way back before that.<br/>I ordered from lunch special, today, pad prik king, one of their signature dish.<br/>Price vary from the protein that you choose, beef, pork and chicken $12.50, and seafood $16.50, that’s include rice and free tap water 😝.<br/>Portion are generous, but for me a little too much rice.<br/>Dish was excellent, the sauce a little dry and slickness is just right to me.<br/>Because I choose pork , and I didn’t know that wasn’t a pork belly, however they gave the crackling on top so still you get a crunchiness from it.

Good food, good service and average ambience best describes this place. I think one of the best spring rolls I have ever had. So crispy and yumm. The masamman curry with rice was delicious too. The only thing I din like was the amount of tofu in the curry. But the curry was mind blowing. My friends ordered a pork salad which was great. Overall a great place to grab quick Thai but a bit on the expensive side.<br/>Ambience - 3/5<br/>Value for Money - 3/5<br/>Service - 4/5<br/>Foood - 4/5

Close to the central station, it was a good stop for lunch and a cheap option which makes it student friendly. The ramen wasn’t very spicy but the broth of the ramen was delicious. They have heaters too so lovely to sit outside.

I love a good Thai salad – the flavours and textures are so full-on and intense, yet well balanced, there really is nothing else like it. The Nam Khao Tod ($19.5) was the perfect example of that. Toss everything together, and each mouthful becomes a riot of textures and flavours – crunchy peanuts, fresh herbs, fermented sausages with a sharp tang, and if you’re really lucky, the coveted shards of crispy rice. And chilli. So much chilli. I didn’t realise that it was going to be so spicy, not that it stopped me from eating bite after bite as tears welled up in my eyes.

had the red duck curry - boy was it spicy. was expecting a delicate curry balanced with a bit of sweetness from the fruits but it was just spicy spicy spicy - felt a bit like a chili oil dish from china restaurant.

Spice I Am, in my memory, was the pioneer that really lifted Thai food in Sydney from the sometimes mediocre neighbourhood restaurants to something that people were talking about, excited about and lining up for. Soon followed by other great restaurants like Chat Thai and Home, and now having opened up a more upscale branch in Darlinghurst, their original location is still busy, with humble decor and a cash only policy.

The food here looked amazing. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me tonight. I wanted prawns, to which they had none tonight. Secondly, I ordered chicken and vegetables in garlic sauce and it came without the Vegetables so essentially was a plate of meat. The salad was nice and flavoursome. Perhaps we should have eaten in and not had takeaway.

Delicious. Fast. Friendly fairly well priced. Not the super sweet Thai food at many restaurants. Lemongrass prawns and crispy pork belly with basil chilli are awesome!

In Short: Spice I Am have been feeding Sydneysiders for over 2 decades, with dishes packing the flavours of Thailand. You have to try a whole fish dish like the whole snapper fried and served with sweet and sour sauce. <br/><br/>While the foodies clamour to be first to gram the latest food find that continues to define Australia’s culinary landscape (and I’ll be honest, we don’t mind sampling the latest innovative cuisine either!), there are some restaurants that endure. One of my absolute favourite restaurants in Sydney is Spice I Am. Before the Home and Chat Thai empires took a stronghold in the city, Spice I Am, was one of the hottest tables in town.

The wait was very long, but it was well worth it. Authentic little venue serving Asian delights. Fun for a large and rowdy group like us. Try the larb!

Really good food and nice little stop. Quick seating and friendly quick service. Good Thai food and decent portion sizes! Overall a nice little spot!

Had a very average experience here too many flies swamped our meal but the staff there took no notice. It didn't matter to them. However the food there was really nice <br/>Had the soft shelled crab with the mango salad .<br/>The curry was too runny for my liking

It's breaking my heart to write this review since this little cozy restaurant near the heart of Sydney CBD has been my favourite for years. <br/><br/>It's been a long time since the last time I dined at Spice I Am, so today I decided to take the family to an old time Thai favourite restaurant. Even without looking at the menu I ordered the 2 signature dishes "Crispy Pork Belly With Chinese Broccoli", a "Pad Prik King Crispy Fish", a "Fried Fish Balls", and rice for 3 people (since my little one already had her lunch).<br/><br/>The foods came out quite fast as the restaurant was not busy on an Anzac day afternoon. The crispy pork belly was ok, the taste still felt familiar but the portion of meats was reduced significantly. Then the crispy fish dish came and broke my heart. It was salty, overdressed with pork grinds, has 5 soggy pieces of fish (yes they were not crispy at all). Not to mention the fried fish ball dish was a joke with 6 tiny fish balls floating on top of over supplied sweet chilli sauce tasted like the one you could get anywhere in Woolies or Coles.<br/><br/>I wasn't happy until the moment I saw the bill I became livid. It was $90 AUD in total including $16 for rice of 4 people. Seriously I asked for rice for 3 people and my kid didn't even touch anything. <br/><br/>In a total shock to ask any question, I pulled out $100 bill, paid, said thank you, walked out and vouched to never ever come back.

Spice I Am was probably one of the more dissatisfying Thai restaurants I had visited recently. I ordered the pad thai and deep fried wings. On the one hand, the pad Thai was too sweet and lacked the spice and intensity. On the other hand, the wings was overfried and tasted really hard and dry.

Appalling. Put our names down for a table and were told there would be a 15min wait which was fine. After 15mins passed I returned as there were about 4 spare tables and the waitress said we were next, 10mins later I asked again and she had forgotten who I was. Finnalllyy we got a table and had just sat down and ordered food when she said we had to move to a smaller table (which was free the whole time!!) because a group was coming despite seating us at the bigger table in the first place! Veggie curry was ok however pad see ew was very greasy. Will not return.

Mar17- pad Thai was delicious . The decor isn't much. Simple but good . Sitting outside can be a bit noisy . The service was quick .Great place for lunch

Quite ok flavor and service, but over priced definitely. Not sure why the rating is so high, not as good as expected. The spicy is good, but they don't have prawns and some other stuffs available and charge extra for alternative, which I find very ridiculous. And CASH ONLY.

Worst fried rice ever. I eat Thai 3 times a week. This was rubbish. And the service here sucks as well. Dismissive staff. Never again. Been here before and it was good.

Busy place - even on a weeknight. Rather small location, but they flip the tables quickly. Chairs are small and low to the ground, not the most comfortable. Ordered the chicken pad Thai and it's the best I've had in Sydney thus far.<br/>Insta: @voraciousventures

The food here is amazing, authentic and really spicy! (Just the way I like it). I would leave a higher rating except I wont be going back there anytime soon as they did not give us change on our bill, essentially pocketing a $10 tip without asking on top of them short changing my dad $10 last week. I am happy to tip, but only when it is an option and not an assumption on their part.

I found this restaurant by zomato, i happened to stay at a hotel near this restaurant. It is THE BEST THAI FOOD i ever eat in my entire life so far, i had travelled to Bangkok and I think Spice I am is authentic. Seriously yummy and authentic. I ordered fish, pad thai and tom yam soup.

I was recommended to dine here because of it's traditional menu, which was also written in thai. However I was extremely disappointed with the service and food. I visited on a Wednesday evening, it was busy but service was quick. Firstly, we got the curry puffs as an entree which were about the size of a 50c piece and tasted like they came out of a freezer box. Second, the waitress denied us the option of having any dish 'mild' despite me asking if less chilli could be added. She also was adamant that pad see ew was the same as pad kee mao?! Lastly, the dishes were of average quality (and of course we had to suffer with a mouth on fire). I would not go back as I know a LOT more thai places that are more worthy. Also, note all meals are about $15/16 with some specials up to $26! By the way, if you do find this place well done! There's no sign.

One of my wife and my favorite restaurants in Sydney. We go back for are some of our staples (crispy basil, penang, chochee) but often I feel an urge to explore around the edges and every once in a while my wife let's me. The first exploration introduced us to jungle curry. It was extremely spicy but tasty and it got me curious to find other such hidden gems in the menu. Through two such exploratory trips we came about two of the most abominable, repulsive, gross dishes our taste buds ever encountered. It made us question God. Are there people who live in our world who choose these dishes and eat them happily? Are there children who grew up eating and creating fond memories around these dishes ? We want to meet the people who enjoy eating these dishes. We want to know if they look like these two dishes taste. We want to know if the same chef who cooked the golden heavenly penang or the taste bud exploding crispy basil or crispy creamy choochee is the same person cooking these dishes. Maybe this is the creation of the most grotesque part of the chefs imagination. How did this dish come about? Did someone somewhere think about capturing the taste of morning breath in a curry? Did they think soaking a week worn sock in water for another week would create the perfect stock for such a dish? Did they think that vomit was a flavor that was worthwhile exploring? Regardless of the path to the creation of these dishes the result stands alone and it screams, punches, kicks and takes a shit on your taste buds. If you don't believe me I dare you to try them. (Ka Nom Jeen Gang Tai Pla /  Pad Pet Pla) if you're that person who likes these two dishes then get in touch with me as I would love to meet you.

I've been here few times. It's located in surryhills and close to Central station it's about 5-10min walk.<br/>I like the friendly staff and the ambience. It's open door and reminds me of the night markets in Bangkok!!<br/><br/>I had Green Curry $12.9 and It was spicy and not too sugarly. Tasty and I like it.<br/><br/>Padthai $12.9 was delicious! Beef was tender and yummy. Add a bit of lemon before you eat and stir all together!! <br/><br/>I had pork belly before and it was crunchy and tasty, bit of spicy! One of my fav thai restaurant in CBD.

We came over expecting good food over dinner at surry hills branch given its past reputation. However the actual food served was not up to expectation - and very very pricey for their portion - $30 for a tiny dish? Also the restaurant setting is not fancy at all. The green curry was spicy and strong, whilst the crispy pork belly with chinese broccoli was worse than chat thai...seriously for $26 tiny dish that just went wrong for me. <br/><br/>The waitress also keeps disturbing by cleaning up the dishes one by one so frequently - so we cannot have good quiet time to have conversations. Not a fan at all I was pretty annoyed. <br/><br/>So yeah I would not come back. For city thai food, the ever popular chat thai, home thai, and bees thai at hunter st is WAY better. Plus their restaurant setting is also similar so go there instead.

A small group of us dined at Spice I Am for a late dinner before heading out. It was our pick due to the free corkage but also because we had heard great things about the food. Nothing to look at from the front and decor is nonexistent but the food was great! Super flavourful and generous servings for the price. I would have rated higher but the staff treated us like dirt and rushed us with our dinner so they could close! Very unprofessional

Absolutely fantastic. I've been here a few times, tried curries, salads, noodles and fried dishes and haven't had a bad meal yet. Delicious food and always quick service. I'm always excited to return.

THIS is the Thai food I want when I eat Thai!<br/>Full of those good old sweet-sour-salty-spicy flavours.<br/>Goes perfectly with a cheeky Rose!<br/><br/>Wish the waistline would allow visits here more often - but it's a gorge fest and I'd be upgrading my undies to a bigger size....<br/><br/>Can't wait to come again and try some more!<br/>

Absolutely excellent! Best pad Thai I have ever had! Cheap and byo - but the quality is so good. Authentic delicious Thai - you can understand why this place has been going for so many years now. 100% recommend

From the outside it doesn't look like much but this place sure packs a punch<br/><br/>Wonderfully presented food full of beautiful balanced flavours makes this place a serious player.

Terrific flavours. Bold and vibrant food. Efficient pleasant service. We Chose 4 dishes from the specials menu. Duck seafood and vegetarian meals all great however the slow cooked beef a let down - unpleasantly tough though great flavour.

Always a real treat coming here. The food is so fresh, served quickly and so yum. I got a prawn Pad Cha which I was told was very spicy but went ahead and ordered it.. OMG it was spicy but so good! My friend got the cashew chicken. Menu can be pricey but portions are nice and we didnt leave feeling overly stuffed. Only down side is because of the limited seating they don't let you sit and talk for hours!

I came to this place so many times, and stopped coming for a long time because of their poor service. Last night, I had dinner with my boyfriend there.We didn't take long to order as we knew what we wanted. We ordered green curry with chicken and deep fried whole snapper with papaya salad, we loved everything so much and missed the food here. The spiciness of the green curry is just right for us (we can handle very spicy food), and the snapper is so tender and fresh, and the salad is fresh and full of flavours, although it is very sugary. However, the poor service reminded me why we hadn't come here for a while. As soon as I finished, the bill was placed on the table even though we haven't finished the wine. Because the food was great, we left a generous amount of tip. And then we were asked to leave...... Well, if you would like a very tasty, little pricy and extremely stressed meal, this is a great place. Oh, forgot to mention, when we arrived, my boyfriend went to get a bottle of wine while I was waiting for a table, the waitress won't give me a table until my boyfriend showed up. I totally understand this, but just a tip for group people that you have to come together.

Wow. What an unsuspecting delight. This place looks awful. The service is efficient at the cost of pleasantness. But. The food is delicious. The pad Thai was absolutely fantastic and I resented that I had opted to share it! The chicken had the pad Thai flavour to it which was great and it was proper pieces of chicken which made for a refreshing change from the thin and tasteless slices in generic Thai. I will say that the chicken larb was not as flavoursome as I've had elsewhere but my partner enjoyed it enough. I am picky with larb. There is zilch atmosphere and you could have to fight for a table, but I highly recommend for causal, cheap and fast dining.

Spice I Am was very busy on the Saturday night that my sister and I went. I loved the vibe of the place. Casual and great for a group. I wasn't let down by the food either. Full of flavour. The pad thai was my favourite, though I don't think it's my number one Thai. The staff were also nice and friendly.

Very humiliating experience when I visited this place. After a long waiting time, we were given a table. We were then asked to move to another table. Staff was not courteous to check if we're OK with the table. We could never make an order, very awkward movement forced us to come out without having our dinner. We will never visit this place again.

Classic Thai with the right level of spice - hot but doesn't obscure the flavours. The crispy pork belly (pad prik King) is an indulgent favourite and they do an excellent king prawn pad Thai. The deep fried beef in thick chu chee curry with kaffir lime leaves I tried for the first time this week and it's difficult to describe how thoroughly satisfying it was. It's already calling me back. Smallish restaurant with friendly staff and it's bring your own alcohol.

Salads aren’t always green. And you know what, some of the most delicious salads I’ve had, have been far from green. The banana flower, for example, is an amazingly fresh ingredient that has astringent notes, making it a great base for toppings like shrimp, garlic and fried eschallots. At Spice I Am, it was a lovely pile of sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and all the goodness inbetween. A little pricey, though, at close to $30, but an incredibly satisfying solo lunch.

Good chefs work here because with Thai food, it's all about the balance of the sweet, salty, spicy and sour. They always do this right! I have been to Thailand over 13 times and Thai is my favourite cuisine. The flavours here are most authentic so far I have tasted in Sydney. What you find in ordinary Thai restaurants in Australia are curries that are too thick and creamy or dishes that are overly sweet. The pad thai is a good indicator of a good Thai restaurant because some use tomato sauce and cook it way too saucy - this is cheating because its easier to cook saucy noodles! At Spice I am, the Pad Thai is semi dry and has the full aroma of all the ingredients.  The salads are perfectly balanced, the Tom Yum is as good as you would find in a Bangkok and the fried fish is excellent. It's good to come to a place where you know they do it right all the time.

Place: The place is small. There's no wow factor in their interior design but that's okay because the food is what matters.Service: Decent. Food: The Thai Fried Rice was amazing! I kept eating off my partner's plate. I ordered the spicy fried noodles and hands down, the flavours were exceptional. Every bite had a kick but it kept me wanting to go back for more.

Today is Thai food day. Tried their famous fried pork belly. Crispy but I don't dare to eat a lot of it. The tom kai gai or chicken in coconut milk soup is good but the steamed fish cake is too mushy. I think Chat Thai is better, price-wise is also more reasonable. These three dishes plus one portion of steamed rice cost me AUD 55. Strange that the restaurant doesn't provide small bowls for the soups and the service is a bit chaotic. Despite the short comings, my friend still insisted that this is the best crispy pork belly in Sydney :)

Poor service. Food is just ok, and the service is so poor!!! They took the plate away when we didn't finish it!

Very disappointing. I had a vegetable green curry and there were barely any vegetables in it. It was mostly filled with kaffir lime leaves and too many chillies which meant that I picked about half my plate out. On top of that my friend's serving of cashew nut stir fry was so small that he wasn't full even an hour after eating. What's even worse is that I have an upset stomach now.<br/><br/>It used to be so good and I'm not surprised that they no longer have people lining up out the door, let alone being able to half fill a restaurant on a Friday night.

Food was alright, overpriced, service is just ok. Not really impressed by it's popularity.

Meh. Overpriced and small portions. Wasn't different to any other Middle of the road Thai in terms of taste. Given the bill before we even finished our drinks. Why in the world would you give this place a good rating?

Spice I Am! Vic and Carol took us out to dinner as a thank you because we house sat for them while they were travelling in South America. We picked Spice I Am because it is impossible to get good Thai food in South America. Sorry for the lack of food descriptions but I can’t remember the names of what we ordered, and the receipt is in Thai… Date: Friday the 25th of July, 2014 Location: Spice I Am at 90 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills NSW Price: Roughly $30 per person Eaters: David, Jenny, Carol and Vic Vegan: Spice I Am is vegetarian friendly, but I wouldn’t recommend bringing a vegan here unless they spoke Thai.

Only if you’re super keen to try some hipster Thai food because the food actually wasn’t bad – less intense palette than Khao Pla in Chatswood, but other places, such as Time for Thai offer much greater value for good food. Personally would not recommend as it was rather pricey for the serving size (although tasty)...

Still the benchmark for Thai in my book and a reliable go-to place to bring interstate visitors for an authentic meal that’s hard to get elsewhere...

This post contains mostly photos.

Next time you’re in Surry Hills and feel like an authentic Thai experience you should head over to Spice I Am. It won’t be like your typical Thai takeaway but that’s a good thing I promise. My only criticism would be that they are almost too efficient so it can feel as if you’re being rushed out the door. Though given the crowds that usually line the footpath that is understandable.

In any case, Spice I Am…ahh, if you’ve ever found your Thai to be a little too much on the mild side, yet find that simply adding more chilli just kills the dish, then you’ve come to the right place. Spice I Am is one of the ONLY Thai restaurants I’ve been to that maintains exceptional quality but at a spicier tasting point. If you don’t like/can’t take spices, this place obviously isn’t for you.<br/><br/>If you do however, as per the name of the restaurant (oh that poor English is so deliberate I’m sure), then you’re going to just LOVE it.

We decided to order two dishes to share.<br/>Despite the waitress’ poor description, we opted for the Chicken Chu Chee Curry.<br/>Luckily, we were not disappointed. The combination of fried chicken, a creamy and spicy sauce, and sliced chilli proved to be a recipe for a fiery heaven.<br/>Mwela and I devoured the delicious curry and Mwela proclaimed that she would be returning again for more Chu Chee!

I’ve been a big fan of this dish since Chat Thai and it’s always a MUST order dish for me when I go to Thai restaurants, it wasn’t actually on the menu but we asked and they delivered The only no-no for this dish was that it wasn’t served in a bowl! Primarily because I enjoy drinking the soup and it’s much easier to scoop that way. Regardless, I enjoyed the dish however it just doesn’t seem to compare to Chat Thai’s version which I recall as being much tastier.

Lunching (again) with D, N and Z is always a pleasure - and not just because they love a good meal - although that helps! We started with the mini curry puffs. They come in a serving of 6 tasty treats.

Mussaman curry (approx $17) - This was much better for me - I love mussaman curry. The beef was soft and fall-apart. I would have preferred more potato instead of just one big piece of potato (awkward for sharing!).

An alternative to the forever crowded Chat Thai restaurant, we went to this restaurant, one of the top 10 Thai Restaurants in Sydney according to Urbanspoon. Crispy Pork Belly, BEST DISH OF THE DAY YUMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY MUST TRY!!!

Spice I Am had shaken the Thai restaurant and cafe scene in Sydney for several years by now.  With modest beginnings beside a back packer accommodation joint, the operators now have also opened upmarket outlets in Balmain and Darlinghurst, plus an alternative operation in House, sited not far away.  However I always look to its first venue, near the triangulation of Campbell, Wentworth and Elizabeth Streets near Central Railway Station, as its heart and soul. There were only two of us who stumbled upon an available table on the pavement at the corner of this Thai food delight. I had to have the homok, steamed spiced up fish mousse wrapped in banana leaves, but I realised that the servings that Saturday night lacked fish and flavour. One of my fav dishes here is the pork belly cut up in bite sized pieces that provided the intensity of the garlic, basil and chili that they were stir fried with. We gave that a pass over on this occasion as there were only two of us.  I still felt trepidat

...two further nails in the coffin for me. The first was value for money. The two dishes below cost $30, while last week at Chat Thai $30 bought three dishes and two drinks. Our food also arrived within 30 seconds of ordering meaning there was no chance it had been freshly cooked. Anyway the photos

A superbly done curry with that lovely blend of sweet, sour and salt made the creamy potatoes and lightly crunchy peanuts perfectly at home.

May 18, 2010 gastronomousanonymous 1 comment This restaurant has been around for a while now, and although I haven't been here for a good 1 to 2 years, I am glad to say that the food is still as good as I remembered. This has to be one of my favourite tha

Arguably the best Thai restaurant in Sydney. Big call I know, but one I'm prepared to make (along with most foodies in Sydney). Spice I Am is a small, unassuming restaurant with all the things I look for in an eatery - great food and an even better bill a

It's always reassuring when things stay the same. Consistency of quality was mentioned at Restaurant09 as one of the key drivers behind restaurant selection by customers. With a two-year gap between visits to Spice I Am , I'm always surprised to see the f

Even though I was still recovering from a weak stomach from my fatty French dining experience at Chez Pascal the night before I was totally inspired by Tasted By Two's food blog review of Spice I Am for lunch the next day to try their Boat Noodle Soup so

Late night thai food cravings - we've all been hit by them at one point in time or another. But on this particular evening a craving for some thai food hit me like a ton of coconuts. Sure there are the other Thai street food haunts such as Home , House and Chat Thai - which we do frequent when these cravings can't be turfed - but I am a bit ashamed that this was my first visit to Spice I am. This Surry Hills fixture has been feeding the masses of hungry patrons since 2004, so what have I missed in the last 7 years? Plenty. They were out of Thai Milk Tea that night so Demos opted for the Young Coconut Juice ($4.50) but not before attacking my Lemon Iced Tea first ($4.00) A little bit of happy snapping while we wait of course. Looking around and we see a constant turnover of tables, it really is a busy place! Now I have to clarify for you curious observers - there are 2 Spice I am's in Sydney and we are at the bustling "original" and more relaxed location on Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills

I'm not a fan of hot food. There are some people who eat chili on their own or slather everything in chili sauce. When asked 'mild, medium or hot' they'll go for the 3rd option or any menu item that has the maximum number of chilies drawn next to it. That

I've only been to Spice I Am ones and it was more than 5 years ago. All I remembered from it was that we had to queue and the tables were tiny and we have to place our plates on the spare stools. Of course the restaurant has since been renovated so I thou

Probably some of the best Thai I’ve had in Sydney, especially the salads.

I had a huge craving for Thai food today. There is literally a Thai restaurant on every block in this city, so there is a lot to choose from. One of the most authentic and distinct Thai restaurants is Spice I Am in Surry Hills. It is a bustling little pla

If you are looking for very delicious spicy Thai food in Sydney, not far from the Central Business District (CBD), stop by Spice I Am, a small Thai restaurant in Surry Hills (they have a restaurant in Darlinghurst as well). We went to Spice I Am for lunch

Don't believe the hype!. I really don't understand how this place can be packed and people can give it a good review. Had a table for 6, we were sat on the street (which I wonder if they have a council permit for) felt pressured into ordering quickly so I just had pad Thai, which was lumpy and sloppy, I have paid less for way better. All the meals came at different times and as soon as the last mouthful was ate a bill was placed on the table, I hadn't even finished my drink and we asked to leave, which I expressed that I wasn't impressed with. Terrible service, bad atmosphere and not so good food. Don't believe the hype people!

Terrible shocking service. Terrible service! I arrived 5 minutes earlier than my friend and they asked me to standing wait outside until my friend arrives, even they have LOTS OF VACANT tables and chairs, and I was carrying a heavy big bags! Because they don't want me to occupy their table even it's half EMPTY!!! I'll never ever come again!!!

Favourite Thai - In fact prob one of my fav restaurants in sydney!. Absolutely love this place... from food, the flavour, the buzzy atmosphere, the no nonsense setting, it's amazing food without any pretentiousness! Loved it! Crispy basil pork belly and red chicken curry are my absolute favourites!!! Can't recommend enough! 10/10

Excellent authentic thai. This is one of my favourite thai restaurants in sydney.<br/>I've been here numerous times and have never had any issues with service. Yes, it is a very busy restaurant, and yes you do have to wait on the street for a table and yes, service is brisk and straight to the point. The reason being is that the restaurant is very popular because the food is so damn good. Very authentic,SPICY, delicious thai. Every dish I've had here I've loved. Can't really go wrong when ordering. Plus it is BYO which is a bonus.<br/>The people complaining about service are probably confused about what kind of restaurant this is - this is not the restaurant you would pick for a client lunch or for meeting the parents or for a romantic dinner. This is a casual restaurant where you would go with a couple of friends or your partner, fill up on some fantastic thai, and then continue the night elsewhere.

Chilli jam Crispy pork belly. Best dish of pork belly I have ever had. Would be a regular if I wasn't based 1000km away.<br/>Lovely cherry tomatoes lifted this dish.

Overrated. Two visits later and I still can't see why people rave about this place. The food is fairly standard Thai. On the last visit, I ordered the lunch special boat noodle soup. Although the soup had a nice flavour, the pork component was miserable, only a few scraps. Also, the serving of noodles was paltry.

Can be very spicy. I dined there last night was a really good experience the food was very spicy/hot but excellent never-the-less. The only complaint was that the meals all arrived at different times, as we were not sharing meals. This was a bit inconvenient for the people who had to wait some time for their meals I recall this happened on a prior experience there also. Otherwise it was a great experience with good service and amazing flavours.

The food is great but they really have bad customer services. I always love the curries at this place. my friend ordered thai beef salad, it was really relish. I ordered chu chee (chicken curry), this is my favourite dish from the restaurant. and my bf got yellow curry, which was also good. BUT, please be aware that their services are really terrible. One of the guy there was just plainly rude. My bf ordered a rice. After waiting for 15 minutes, he asked the waitress because he think that the waitress might forget the order. and he replied 'can you just wait?' <br/>Before all of us finished our meal, one of the staff came to the table and gave us the bill. <br/>I probably will go back there again just for the chu chee.

Tom Yum Yum. Love this place, so reliable for true thai flavours that dont pander too much to the western palate. Some of the best dishes after ten plus visits are - deep fried snapper with green mango salad, sour prawn salad with lemongrass, tom saap (hot and sour soup with pork ribs). Extremely well priced and given the helter skelter vibe of the place, service is attentive and friendly.

Not anymore the same. I been last time long time ago but when back last week I was disappointed from the food. The service was nice as usual but the food wasn't so tasty like last time.<br/>The curry wasn't rich as use to be and my friend's chicken very dry.<br/>The price now are lower then before then it was better before with much quality.<br/>I'll not be back.

Foul foul foul. Over priced tiny servings of filth.<br/><br/>Disappointing crispy chicken which left a thick toffee like gunk on my teeth (What The?). <br/><br/>Cashew nut chicken had rubber like microwaved chicken in a water based / flavour free sauce.<br/><br/>Pad thai, old and cooked many hours ago. To rehydrate the noodles, I had to drown them in sweet chilli sauce.<br/><br/>Satay chicken. Microwaved chicken on skewers again 'What The?'.<br/><br/>Just don't waste your time or money, honesty has to be the worst food Ive paid for let alone tried. Absolute disgrace and insult to Thai food. <br/><br/>Aka makes airline and hospital food look and taste gourmet.

Great good efficient and helpful service.

Twice I have been to this place and twice I have been impressed. The food we ordered was all excellent. The massaman duck curry (although a little pricey at $26) is just great and well worth it. There is always a wait to get a table and it's a little crammed in the dining room however it is still worth the wait in my opinion. They take your number and they call you up when they're ready to seat you.

This is a much better take away restaurant as the food is full of flavor. However, dining in is a huge mistake! The wait staff are rude and un accommodating and the atmosphere is noisy and not very clean. They also offer byo, however once you pay the bill will not allow you to finish your glass of wine. Less than 45 minutes in the restaurant and we were being told to vacate the table for the next people. Will not return as this was the second time this has happened.

Strictly average and bad service. Used to be a good thai joint now its strictly average with below average service.

Food was overpriced and customer service was terrible. Other people were served first before us for seating,our entrée was given to the wrong table and it took 40 minutes to finally get our drink after telling 2 waitresses that they had forgotten. The worst customer service! <br/>On top of that, BTS dessert was not that great! <br/>This place is so overrated!

Go early to avoid the line!. Big serving but quite pricey...

Wanted to love it but it was average. Was in town from interstate and used to frequent here every opportunity I got. Haven't been for a while and standards have slipped, such a shame as I used to think this was the best Thai food outside of Thailand, now it's a food court outlet level.

Shocking service. The food was not tasty at all and it was overly priced for the quality of food we received. Will never be going back here.