You would be forgiven for not realising that Sa-Bai Thai has popped up in the old Charlie's Pizza location - in the Sabine Road supermarket complex. As a Millner local, I've known about this place for a little while, and have had takeaway a couple of times - the food was never good enough to rave about it.

A foodie friend and I were long overdue for a catch-up and were keen for a cheap, good feed in the suburbs. She hadn't been to Sa-Bai before and I was curious to see whether their food was any better eating in. No sooner had we walked in and sat down than we had a menu and a bottle of water with glasses on the table. There are a few tables with brightly coloured plastic chairs and crockery to match. The background music is pleasant and sounded like Asian covers of popular acts, including The Killers and Katy Perry. I've also heard a cover of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" when I've been in to pick up food before. Although it's kitsch, this element adds a fun atmosphere and makes the daggy side of me happy.

Sa-Bai's menu consists of standard Thai take-away fare, including a range of fresh and fried entrees, soups, noodle soups, rice dishes, salads, noodles, stir-fry and curries, with a few Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean favourites thrown in for good measure. Prices are exactly what you would expect, and there are a range of drinks in the fridge to please most tastes.  

We ordered Steamed Dim Sim ($6.90) and Mixed Entree ($6.90) to start. We didn't really know what to expect, having had our fair share of freezer-dwelling entrees at local joints before, but we were pleasantly surprised to find fresh, juicy, tasty morsels on the plate. The Dim Sims were plump and lovely (there were 3 of them), though we would have liked a little more soy sauce for dipping. The mixed entree, consisting of beef Po Pia, vegetable spring rolls, prawn parcel, Thai fish cake and crab claw, was good. Very fresh and tasty.

Despite quite a few walk-in and phone orders, our mains came out pretty fast! They were fresh and hot out of the wok! We had Prawn Pad Kee Mao ($18.90), Seafood Yen Ta Fo Soup ($15.90) and Thai Vegetable Fried Rice ($12.90). It became clear quite quickly that our eyes had been much bigger than our bellies. The servings were very generous!

Pad Kee Mao is a flat thick rice noodle stir-fry with chilli, Thai basil, veggies and egg. Like all good Thai dishes, a wedge of juicy lime was served on the side. The dish is super fresh and flavoursome. You can taste all the flavours individually, and as a whole it was delightful. Very spicy though, and the chilli seeds were consistent throughout the dish, so there was no getting away from it. A spice that hit the back of my throat and left a lingering buzz on my lips and tongue. I noticed (and enjoyed) beads of sweat and an elevated heart rate. Not for chilli-haters!

Yen Ta Fo is a distinctive Thai pink soup consisting of red bean curd. The bean curd gives it a slightly sweet, slightly floral taste and it is usually served with seafood , kang-kung and flat rice noodles. My friend considers herself a bit of a Yen Ta Fo connoisseur and I have certainly seen her order it around town on more than one occasion. She requested extra kang-kung and it was certainly delivered. It was packed full of her favourite Asian greens and yummy seafood. The broth was a bit sweet and needed chilli to balance it out. Luckily, the condiments available included a bright red chilli sauce, which packed a HUGE punch. It wasn't watered down with vinegar as you can find at other restaurants. It was the real deal! With the addition of the chilli, my friend reports that the Yen Ta Fo was almost the best she's had in Darwin - almost.  

The poor Thai Fried Rice got a little bit forgotten in the flavour sensations of our other mains, but we kept going back to it for some light taste bud relief when we thought we could not go on. It was lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked with lovely charring on the rice from the stir-fry. A safe dish for kids and less adventurous diners. We sat and chatted for ages, with the owner checking that everything was ok from time to time. He wasn't surprised when we asked for our unfinished meals to take home and said he had wondered how we would be able to eat everything we ordered.

I am looking forward to trying some curries and stir-fry dishes next time - and there will be a next time. It's true that fresh is best. Even though I don't live very far from Sabine Road, the take-away food I have had from Sa-Bai Thai in the past has lost its oomph and perk on the 3 minute drive home. The sparse decoration and fluorescent lighting means that suburban joints don't have the glamour appeal of a CBD restaurant, but the food is normally fantastic, if you give them a chance. The hospitality was friendly and helpful and the food was fresh, tasty and true to Thai flavours. A lovely relaxing Saturday night dinner.  

Contact details

Address: Shop 5/6 Sabine Road, Millner
Phone: 8985 5430
pen: 7 days, 4:30 - 9:30pm (Eat-in, Take-away and Delivery)
Alcohol: No