With the recent rating of Sydney’s favourite Asian restaurant, usurping longtime darling Longrain, we thought it was well worth another visit to Spice I Am. Set in what doesn’t go too far beyond the stock standard dining room for your average Thai restaurant, the variety of the menu had us interested from the get go. Harking to its more expensive neighbour, items such as pork Pad Prik King Crispy Pork Belly appear on the menu, infused with a slightly fired up blend of chilli. Fish cakes weren’t the oh-so-typical rubbery pads of fish composite, instead whitebait shreds with a hot and somewhat sweet chilli sauce. Did you say firey? Watch out for the Larb, this time with chicken and proved to hot for one of us (well it wasn’t me!) - yet those fresh flavours kept me wanting more.

This time around we got one success and one hmmph.. but we’ll be back, probably because the Papaya flower salad the first time around was wonderful (and truly reminiscent of a dish we ate in Hoi An!). Just remember they don’t do bookings, and we waited 40 mins for a table on a busy Friday night. Come with a small group, and don’t be afraid to order a few dishes.

Returnability: Yes. Bring a handkerchief to mop the brow! And extra beer!!
Score: 14/20

Entrees $6.5 to $10.9. Mains $10.9 to $24.9. Dessert $6.5
No bookings. No cards
BYO (no corkage)
90 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney

Updated review - August 2006.