It would be nigh on blasphemy to leave out David Thompson’s culinary tuk tuk ride through the pungent, spicy, fragrant, vibrant and glorious back streets of Bangkok from our Del 100. Yep, the king of Thai has the palate of an angel, and at his Angel Place eating house all the energy and communal ethos of Thai cuisine is on full show.

Neon lights, booths, communal tables, private nooks with disco balls and splashes of Thai street art upon walls provide the backdrop in this dimly lit space where the cocktails and staff are as lively as the food itself. But be warned, some of it is spicier than a Trinidad moruga scorpion chilli in Speedos. Well, maybe not that hot, but you get the picture.

For the brave hearts you can take on the intensity of ‘Chiang Mai larp of chicken’ mildly aromatised by lemongrass and kaffir lime, and accompanied with cabbage cups to fill at your leisure. For those looking for a calmer start, cured pork fritters or Thai fish cakes are the go-to, then fill your table with a mix of dishes from a variety of sections including noodles, soups, favourites, deep fried, salads, curries and grills.

Baked prawns nestle on glass noodles. Roast duck wades in an egg noodle soup. Sun-dried, then fried kingfish comes with green mango and cashews, while the mashed prawn curry is one of the most balanced and sating Down Under.

Few chefs have the technical and sixth sense culinary nous of Thompson – his food is a sheer joy – especially shared with good friends, as is the ethos at Long Chim.

Must eat dish: Mashed prawn curry, coconut turmeric
Instagram: @longchim