Brief
Itsara restaurant blends homegrown Thai ingredients with Perth’s dining scene
Itsara’s garden supplies unique herbs and produce that shape its contemporary Thai menu.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Perth’s 85‑seat Itsara restaurant, opened in 2009 by chef‑scientist Itsara Pracharoenwattana and partner Cresswell Doherty, draws on a five‑hectare Swan Valley garden to source many of its Thai ingredients, according to a feature in the Sydney Morning Herald.
What happened
Itsara combines a dimly lit dining room with a garden patio, offering a calm ambience that contrasts with louder Thai venues in the city. The garden yields items such as betel leaves, white turmeric, butterfly‑pea flowers and house‑made sai oua sausage, which the kitchen incorporates into dishes like miang boran, grilled chicken (gai yang) and noodle plates.
What the reports add
The article notes that betel leaves serve as a natural, plant‑based tortilla for the lime, dried prawns, peanuts and coconut topping of miang boran. White turmeric, described as milder and less staining than regular turmeric, appears alongside sai oua, a coarse‑ground pork and herb sausage from Chiang Mai. Butterfly‑pea flowers are used to tint rice noodles a faint indigo shade. These ingredients are highlighted as uncommon in typical grocery stores, underscoring the garden’s role in the menu.
What was said
The piece quotes no external spokesperson; it describes Pracharoenwattana’s background as a molecular plant biologist and emphasizes his dual role as chef and researcher.
How it came about
Itsara’s founders opened the restaurant in 2009, aiming to revive the quiet poise of earlier Perth Thai eateries such as Saowanee’s Place and Thai Corner. The garden was developed to supply fresh, locally grown produce that aligns with the restaurant’s contemporary Thai concept, providing diners with flavors that are difficult to find in standard markets.
Key facts
- Itsara opened in 2009 in Nedlands, Perth, with 85 seats. (smh.com.au)
- The restaurant’s garden in Swan Valley spans five hectares. (smh.com.au)
- Chef Itsara Pracharoenwattana is also a molecular plant biologist. (smh.com.au)
- Menu items include betel‑leaf miang boran, white‑turmeric sausage, and indigo‑tinted rice noodles. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Itsara’s grow-your-own brand of Thai dining has much to offer eaters”
