I used to really love the chicken massaman curry here, and used to get it every few weeks, then I think they got new owners and the recipe changed. I was heart broken. And of course due to the language barrier the staff didn't understand me when I called about it .. I've not been back since.
The best panang curry in Perth! Most places don't use enough curry paste and too much coconut milk. Bua Siam get the balance just right: thick, rich and delicious. They get a lot of takeaway orders on Friday night so call ahead and expect a 20 - 30 minute wait. But oh boy it is worth waiting for!
I feel the term "neighbourhood gem" is hugely over-used but, it probably counts in this instance. Bua Siam is a Thai restaurant/takeaway in a dodgy shopping centre area in a suburb without the best reputation in the world (unfairly so, these days). You could drive by and miss it, which I did, hundreds of times. But after eating here once, it's become a steady favourite. The food is always freshly cooked and hot, with fresh ingredients and the flavours perfectly balanced. The servings are generous in both takeaway and dine-in options and not full of onion and cabbage filler like a lot of Asian takeaway. My go-to dishes are the Tamarind Prawn and the Duck Red Curry with Lychees. I'm a sucker for both duck and lychees. And the prawn toast entrée when you dine-in is a huge and delicious serving.. Dining in, it's not the fanciest of restaurants, despite the food being better than a lot of Thai places you might consider for a 'night out' - but the service is friendly and welcoming. Bua Siam is very close for me, but I would happily drive a few suburbs for Thai this good! Delivery is an option for quite a few neighbouring suburbs for $2.