For Joe Kitsana, hospitality is personal. He takes your booking on his own phone, does the shopping and cooking, plays waiter. He even welcomes BYO ($5.50 per person) as an alternative to his good-value wine list. And while for most of the past decade Kitsana worked as chef, waiter and sommelier in tiny dimensions in Kings Lane (before that he was as at Longrain, Sailor’s Thai and Phamish), he’s been making this corner site his own for the past couple, which means more space and a kitchen assistant to boot.

The food isn’t fancy, and triggers nostalgia for those who reminisce about suburban Thai in their youth, just better: crunchy spring rolls of chicken and black fungus, fish cakes of impressive lightness, jungle curry of outrageous spice, plus fried soft-shell crab in sweet-chilli crab sauce. Then there’s the Greek walnut cake, a recipe from long-term friend, chef Janni Kyritsis. Like we said, it’s personal.

Best for: A proper taste of Sydney Thai, by one of the most caring in the business.

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