Kingdom Of Rice

The Verdict

It was once home to the hugely successful Italian eatery, Dirty Italian Disco, but a new kingdom has taken over the Tennyson. The Tennyson’s second pop-up comes from joining forces with Mitch Orr and Cam Fairbairn, the team behind innovative inner east eatery, ACME. Working alongside head chef, Lillia McCabe, there’s a frenzy of flavour and fun as seafood, meats and vegetables are grilled over charcoal or tossed through a wok. 

In terms of the menu, think all things flavour-packed and colour-charged. The Cambodian-style street food plates are all designed to share. Think caramelised pork skewers served with pickled green papaya salad and baguette and wok-fried pippies, lime and Kampot pepper. The blue swimmer crab with salted egg and green pepper is next level and the bbq chicken from the grill pairs deliciously with the oh-so-tasty dried shrimp fried rice. And, trust us, we won’t have to twist your arm to make room for the grilled banana, sticky rice and caramel for dessert.

The self-serve bottle shop remains, pouring up Cambodian and Asian beers, natural wines and Southeast Asian-inspired cocktails. 

Vibes wise, this joint is inspired by the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh markets, with open roller doors, mismatched furniture and the lime-washed soft pink walls project traditional Cambodian movies. 

This driveway eatery collab with Merivale is only around for a six-month stint.

Image credit: Nikki To