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    Spice I Am

    4.0 (76 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, 5:45 PM - 10:00 PM

    Spice I Am Photos

    SPICE I AM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Spice I Am

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    Crispy pork belly in spice i am sauce
    Lily H.

    We tried this place out after seeing it on numerous blogs for a must try Thai spot. Great spot for authentic Thai and Thai street food. They have a fairly extensive menu and everything is pretty much shareable besides the noodle soups. Food is delivered quickly. The menu is fairly pricey for the size of the dishes but good experience away from the high end restaurants by the Harbor and hipster spots in the rest of the neighborhoods. We tried the crispy pork belly in Spice I Am sauce and Boat Noodles. The pork belly sauce was delicious and the meat cooked to a great texture. The boat noodle was very different from other boat noodles we've had.

    Tiffany D.

    Spice I Am was pretty good! We were craving Thai and wanted something good. We came across this location from doing a little research. I'm glad we decide to come here. The location is super small so there might be a little wait. We got lucky and got there before the huge crowd so we were able to be seated after about maybe 5-10 min. You can tell they stay crowded but they get people in and out. The service was ok. The waiters could have been a little more friendly and welcoming but the food was good. Between the four of us who ate here, we all ordered different dishes. We started by all sharing the Deep Fried Mini Spring Rolls. They were good and no one had any complaints. For dinner we ordered the Spicy Fried Rice, Thai Fried Rice, Spicy Noodle, and Pad Thai. All of the dishes were tasty and you could tell they were homemade. The ingredients were fresh and tasty! I will say the Spicy Fried Rice was Spicy! I don't mind a little kick but this was hot! If you don't like a lot of spice I would suggest ordering the Thai Fried Rice. However, everyone liked their dish and the food was seasoned well. We all left with happy bellies! Overall, Spice I Am has some good Thai food.

    Spicy fried rice
    Eugenie C.

    Looking for authentic Thai food in Sydney? Then this is the place to be. Spice I Am is the closest you will get to Thailand from Sydney, in foodie terms. Upon entering the restaurant, the mix of flavours wafted around and I conjoured up memories of my enjoyable and relaxing trips to Thailand straight away. When a smell brings you back to a place and a time, you know that this is the real deal (I'd never had that before at any other Thai restaurant in Sydney, although there are several good Thai eateries). Every dish I've had is perfect. There is nothing that stands out as a recommended dish - they are all as great as each other! It's surpisingly hard to get an authentic Thai stir fry in Sydney, but Spice I Am does them well. Just be careful - their dishes are very spicy - they do it just like the homeland! Spice I Am is no place for lounging around and having a relaxed evening - in fact, quite the opposite. Be prepared to queue up outside the tiny little restaurant, squish on low stools, have waiters brush past you, and have the occasional odd customer at the next table. For this reason, Spice I Am doesn't quite reach the 5 star mark. Spice I Am is one of Sydney's little gems and definitely worth a try, espcially for the Sydneysiders!

    Isabel Y.

    Thai holy basil. Order anything with it in it. Its bloody fantastic! lol My favourite dish at Spiceiam is the Pad Kra Prao (stir fry with chilli, bamboo shoots, green beans and Thai holy basil with your choice of chicken/beef/pork/seafood). I like to order it with minced meat instead of bamboo shoots as I don't like them and its even better. But warning, its quite hot. Actually most of the dishes there are hot, so ask the staff before ordering if the dish includes chilli. Wash it all down with a milk ice tea or a young coconut juice. Delicious :) Other dishes to try include the Mieng Kuay Teaw, Pad See Ew, Basil Crispy Chicken (amazing!), Larb thai salad and the signature Green Papaya salad. Still one of the best casual thai restaurants in Sydney, even after all the hype is gone from a few years ago.

    Spicy fried rice!
    Herman H.

    This place was highly recommended in a brochure in our hotel room. What is better is that it was right across the street from our hotel! Looking at the yelp reviews we knew we had to try this place out! My friends and I went during lunch right when it opened! I suggest you go early during the dinner time otherwise there may be a wait; there are not many seats available! I got the spicy fried rice, and it was just okay. I was a bit disappointed because it had a pretty strong burnt taste to it. Nothing was visibly burnt so maybe it was the oil? I'm not sure and maybe it was supposed to be like that. My sister got the pad thai which was delicious, and my gf got the pad kee mao, which was pretty good but too soy-saucy. For the lunch specials, I would recommend this place, but I am sure the prices are higher for the dinner meals. I would not come here for dinner, but I would come back and give this place another chance during lunch!

    Crispy pork belly, rice, mini-curry puffs
    Rebecca C.

    The food here is really good, but it seems oilier than the Thai food I am used to eating. My partner preferred it to the Thai places we usually go though, so I guess this may just reflect regional cuisine types or personal preferences. The food was also spicier than most Thai places around - I know it's in the name of the restaurant ("spice"), but most of the vegetables in my red curry chicken were just chili peppers. The curry puffs were oddly dry, and miniature (although the menu does describe them as "mini curry puffs"), but I still kind of felt like I was being ripped off. I always get food envy at new restaurants, and this place was no different - my partner ordered crispy pork belly with chili paste and green vegetables which was delightful. The sweetness balanced out the spice and with the veg and rice it was a perfectly balanced meal...if only it had been mine! Seating is extremely limited and I feel like they're trying to get more people in than they reasonably should. Sitting outside under heat lamps wasn't too cold even on a chilly night, but the ground is uneven, the table slants, and you're parked six inches away from two other tables on either side. Inside was equally packed, but service for food and bill seems a little slow if you're outside.

    Ferdinand W.

    My search for the best crispy pork belly Thai style is actually ended. Finally I found it! My favorite is always Phad Prik King, crispy pork belly, Phid king sauce so hot yet so yummy ... I think that's the best Phid King dish that I have been tasted in Sydney The complex of the dish is actually so hard to explain, crispy skin, not so much fat, spicy sauce and the fragrant from kafir lime leaves .. Just keep you going and wanting more. Tom Yum Gong also really good dish.. This aromatic broths with hint of chillies that accompany your choice of protein is so beautiful, and tonight we chose seafood. Succulent juicy prawns is cook to perfection. Pad see ew also really good, I think that's the only few dishes that not come with spiciness on the menu. Always wanting to get back for more

    Alecia W.

    Down the Central Station end of Surry Hills, Spice I Am is consequently a convenient haunt for city workers after authentic Thai dishes at the end of the day - anytime from 6.30 onwards, you'll be hard pressed to score a table and it's not abnormal for the wait to be around an hour during peak meal times. No matter though, as the delightfully derelict Triple Ace Bar is just around the corner - put your name down for a table, then head here to buy yourself a bottle of vino, have a glass while you wait and in no time you'll be walking back over Campbell Street with the remainder of your vintage in tow. I'm not the biggest fan of spicy dishes, but as this place adheres to more traditional, not-watered-down-for-Sydney-consumption recipes, I find it pretty damn spicy. What makes it bearable is the freshness of the ingredients used, like in the chicken larb with plenty of fresh mint and lemon, and the green curry which comes with those little round green Thai eggplants no matter which meat option you choose - these spongy veggies soak up a whole lot of the soup, which they label as 'medium hot'. I beg to differ.

    View from inside the restaurant
    Christina M.

    First thing - it's hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for. It is very easy to walk by multiple times even with the address and GPS. The street sign extends above the sidewalk so you can't see it when you are on the correct side of the road. Once you're inside, the space looks pretty unassuming. I ordered the red curry with chicken and my husband had the pad kee mao (spicy noodles). I also had a Thai iced tea which turned out to be a good move as it was the spiciest curry I had ever eaten. The iced tea was perfect for calming the spice and was probably the only reason I wasn't literally in tears while I was eating. I don't profess to have the highest tolerance to spicy food but this was right at my limit. I would eat that red curry every week if I could. The food was AMAZING. I would have never come if it weren't for a David Lebovitz blog entry that recommended it. I figured that a famous chef and restaurant owner is probably a reliable source. Turns out that was a good bet as this was one of my favorite restaurants from our 2 week honeymoon in Australia. For anyone that enjoys Thai food - come here. 5 stars.

    Mini Curry Puffs
    Grace S.

    This place definitely lived up to my expectation! My two buddies and I arrived at the restaurant at around 6.20pm on a Saturday evening and there was already a huge crowd outside, waiting in line. We were told there would be a 30 minutes wait. Since it was windy and cold, we settled for this since the heat lamp outside the restaurant was keeping us relatively warm-ish. Even though the turnover was pretty fast, our wait was more than 30 mins. 40 minutes into the wait, one of the waitresses handed us the menu and asked us to place our order. (To be honest, this is probably not a bad idea because food would be served the moment we were seated, also it's probably good for the business since it could increase its turnaround time). And within 5 minutes after we placed our order, we were seated & food was served within 2 minutes ! *impressed* Mini Curry Puffs - good ! Mini fried shrimp rolls - not too bad, not spicy Pad See Ew - Definitely one of the best I had in Sydney , two thumbs up Basil Crispy Pork Belly - SPICY but soooooo goooooooood !!! Portion is pretty generous too. Highly recommended ! However, as soon as we were close to finishing, the waitress looked like she couldnt wait to clear our table so that we can get the f*ck out. I understand that there were still a lot of people waiting in line...but hey! I hate being "chased out" of the restaurant ! The restaurant itself is not classy/ cozy kind. So I wouldnt recommend it for a dinner date, but if you want good thai food, that's where you want to be. =)

    Astri P.

    Don't miss out on the lunch specials! I highly recommend the crispy pork with Chinese broccoli stir fry. It's almost the best in Sydney. I kid you not.

    Crispy Pork
    Alfie S.

    Actually I am big fan of not only Spice I Am, but this particular store of the business. As an ex-restuarantuer this site has it all worked out as they tend to cater really well for the lunch time crowd. the food comes quick, fresh, tasty, inventive, well presented and most importantly ..... spicy (where necessary). I have discovered though, it is easy to get carries away with ordering. My suggestion, if possible, order one dish at a time, especially at night and at lunch only order one of the mains on the main menu as they are good size servings.

    Megan T.

    Great authentic thai food for a reasonable price. We got chicken pad thai and crispy basil chicken and both were delicious! I thought it was kind of silly to be charged $4 for the steamed rice that usually just comes with a dish. Waitresses were quick and attentive but weren't rushing us either. Skip the mango sticky rice - it wasn't very good.

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    Spice I Am Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Spice I Am

    My favorite is always Phad Prik King, crispy pork belly, Phid king sauce so hot yet so yummy ...

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    Prik Thai - Menu, Prik Thai

    Prik Thai

    4.0(7 reviews)
    0.5 kmSydney
    $

    Good grub food to get the Thai zest food on!…read more I like their flavorful Tom Yum Goong, extremely. One can tell with the ingredients used and the strong flavor used in the soup. Chicken noodle soup was spot on. I think I ate too much two hours before, so my stomach wasn't feeling well at all when I over ordered here! I got excited on their 5 dollar grubs and Tom Yum soup. It's like a hole in the wall kind of place. Service was great and I like the down to earth vibes here. My eyes are bigger than my stomach, as usual. Got my yummy Thai craving on!

    This place is all about the efficiency. The young guy running around serving everyone is pleasant,…read morespeedy and ensures you get a bottle of water. You're gonna need it, this is authentic Thai, they don't scrimp on the spice. This used to be a very regular lunchtime haunt for me because it wasn't very busy and @ $7.90 for my favourite dish (which is a generous serve), it was almost impossible to avoid at least once a week. However it seems that word has gotten around because it can be very busy at lunch times. I usually opt for pork pad krapao cos it's a great serve but have tried other dishes too. The pork two ways (belly and bbq) is a bigger dish but is also outside their $8 lunch sweetspot! The only real gripe I have with the place is that the seating outside attracts smokers. Most people hate smokers whilst they are eating, and it's probably illegal but you know what inconsiderate ign'ant peeps are like, they just don't care.

    Photos
    Prik Thai
    Prik Thai - Call the Fire Department, Prik Thai

    Call the Fire Department, Prik Thai

    Prik Thai - Pad thai on left and fry rice, beef with some ingredients that I forgot. And longan fruit juice.

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    Pad thai on left and fry rice, beef with some ingredients that I forgot. And longan fruit juice.

    Khao Thai Haymarket - Chicken Pad Thai

    Khao Thai Haymarket

    5.0(1 review)
    0.6 kmHaymarket

    It's surprising what you can find when exploring your own city. I decided to take a different…read morestreet in Chinatown Sydney and stumbled upon this restaurant. From the outside it looked very clean and inviting with walls decorated with vibrant Thai street art. There were many patrons inside eating which is also a good sign that the food must be good. I decided to give it a try and I'm so pleased I did! The place has a Bain-Marie setup on entry for takeaway. You can order from here to dine in also but the price will differ. It is cheaper to takeaway. The menu is very extensive listing more than 100 Thai regional specialties. The menu has several different styles of noodle soups 'Boat Noodle Soup' and 'Tom Yum Sukhothai Noodle Soup' ranging from the spicy-sour tom yum soup to tom luad moo (soup made with a clear broth as well as pork and vegetables). Under the heading 'Hot Pot Set' you can order the Thai Southeast street food 'Chim Chum', a spicy sour broth with different meats, seafood and fresh herbs such as galangal, sweet basil, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves all cooked together and served in a small clay pot. There are refreshing papaya and vermicelli noodle salads, stir-fries, fried fish, hotpots and for the ultimate sweet ending, sweet doughnuts served with delicious Pandan sauce (Pa-Tong-Go) or deep-fried banana. I chose two of my all time favourites- Chicken Pad Thai and a Chicken Cashew Nut stir fry. The portion size was huge and worth every cent! The taste was simply amazing and better than what I have received at my other favourite, more expensive Thai restaurants in Sydney. Wow I now have found a new favourite Thai restaurant.

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    Khao Thai Haymarket
    Khao Thai Haymarket
    Khao Thai Haymarket

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    Spice I Am - thai - Updated May 2026

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