after quite a long day of window shopping, my sister and her boyfriend decided to take me out to dinner. we went to chatswood in search for a restaurant at around 8pm, which is quite a late time here to eat dinner since most establishments close at 6pm. anyway, we ended up in this lane where asian restaurants were in and i decided to eat at khao pla. the place was quite small but the ambiance of a thai restaurant was there. their menu showcased a variety of recipies from thailand with some that can be modified to your liking for people having a vegan diet. we ordered crying tiger, tom yum goong, and some pork belly. service wise, they were quick to their toes and were very hospitable. after several minutes, food arrives, and we were very eager to dig in. their crying tiger was excellent. charred from the grill perfectly and combined with the sauce which had a tangy and a bit spicy, they made a perfect combination of flavor and texture. their tom yum quite exceeded my expectations among a lot of thai restaurants abroad and i'd say one of the best ones i've tried ouside thailand. the pork belly sauteed with spices and vegetables was also scrumptious, spicy, and flavorful. the texture of the pork belly's crispiness goes well with the soft leafy vegetables. i wished their serving was a bit bigger, but all in all, the experience was thai-riffic!! good job!!