My boyfriend and I decided to eat here upon recommendation from a friend, and I am SO glad we made the trip to Ashgrove for it. Thai Chinpala is a homely and cosy Thai restaurant, with lots of great touches like Thai-English phrases on the walls and authentic Thai decor.

Sopha, the hostess, really is what makes the experience at this restaurant so worthwhile. She is a complete sweetheart, and is friendly, engaging and clearly enamoured with their little business at the heart of Ashgrove. It was such a pleasure to be looked after by her. We arrived for dinner quite late (8.30pm) and although we were the only people in the restaurant (it was a Tuesday evening), at no point did we feel like we were being rushed, or that the service was too attentive.

The food here is clearly prepared with love, with lots of painstakingly carved food garnishes (my Year 9 Food Tech teacher would have been so proud!). Our Massaman curry and ginger pork stirfry were both really flavoursome and not too oily, which can sometimes be a downfall of a great Thai dish.

If we lived in Ashgrove, I can say without any hesitation that this would be our new Friday night takeaway go-to. It feels so good to support small local businesses who so genuinely love doing what they do, and love their customers. Ten out of ten!

Approximate cost: $15

Sopha and Sam run this great little Thai restaurant. The food is authentic and beautifully presented - the Pad Thai is the best I've tasted. The service is fast and friendly and the food is such good value. They do a great lunch menu for around $10 and dinner is only a few dollars more. Definitely worth a visit and there is parking directly out the front and a bottleshop 100 yards away next to Woolies.

Approximate cost: $14