Chilli Cha Cha

Tasty, quick, cheap lunch specials. Solid Thai food with a wide ranging menu. Since it was lunch, people were being shuffled into booths like sardines, and all we asked was that we not be shoved into the corner with the stroller from someone else’s table. Waitress would not accomodate us at first, and made a big fuss about it with wild hand gestures. When we sat where we wanted to (not the spot she wanted), she proceeded to ignore us and wouldn’t take our order for a long time. Again, I realize service is not typically available in Australian restaurants, but this was verging on a level of «anti-​service» which I don’t think is acceptable.

Great food and service! The other place we went to (Chat Thai) was crap. This place was delice! Very good food and service!

In spite of it’s silly name, this place just oozes cool and fun. On the night I was there, the restaurant was buzzing — packed with patrons who were clearly happy to be dining on Chilli Cha Cha’s yummy, well priced, and I dare say beautiful Thai cuisine. The waiters are clearly proud of their fare and happily leafed through Chilli’s menu to help me decide between many, many great looking options. I tried:
— tom yum soup (spicy and good!)
— vegetable spring rolls with plum sauce (good! though expect some tough mushrooms in there)
— prawns wrapped in potato (good!)
In all honesty, this is not the best Thai food restaurant in the world. But in combination with their fun, noisy ambiance and interesting selection, you might just get hooked.

Some friends of my mine used to think this corner spot was cursed because so many eateries that were located here, came and went due to poor business. Ironically the previous tenant was a Thai restaurant. However by far, Chilli Cha Cha has had the longest run and hopefully touch wood, it will stay there… permanently. The food is actually really, really good despite the fact the restaurant is never fully packed, although reasonably busy. Its probably because it doesn’t look as swanky as Chat Thai and due to its location on the edge of the Chinatown eating district on Castlereagh St.
I love all the entrees, especially the tangy dipping sauce that goes with the fish cakes. Yum! For mains, you can’t go past the Crying Tiger and the Pork Belly. The noodles dishes such as the Pad Thai are really good, which for me a sign of a great Thai restaurant. If you can’t do the a classic really well, then you’re in trouble!
Overall I love this restaurant, and a great alternative to Chat Thai.

With a name like this I was expecting some spicy Latin American food, but this place is actually a Thai restaurant. Located near China town on Campbell Street in the city, Chilli Cha Cha is a place thats hidden from the crowds circling dixon and market streets at night. The fact that it was nearly full on a wednesday night however made me feel that this place wasn’t such a ‘hidden’ gem after all and for good reason too. All the dishes that were ordered here were flavoursome, interesting dishes and most of them had quite a spicy hit to them as well, which is probably why this place had the word chilli in its name. One of the dishes definitely worth trying here is the the barbecued meats, so tasty you’ll never want to eat the meat you prepare on the barbie again. The salads here are also mouthwatering and some of them can be tear-​jerking and have you reaching for the water and a re-​fill on the rice.
Do yourself a favour next time you’re in the city and by pass dixon and market streets and head to Chilli Cha Cha, just make sure to have a jug of water handy, or if you’re really not good with chilli ask them to recommend some dishes that aren’t too spicy.