Tōkyō Lamington teamed up with Chat Thai to commemorate the latter’s 16th birthday in Thaitown by transforming their lamington menu into a Thai-inspired delight from mid-September in 2023.
There were six Thai-inspired flavours available:
- Yuzu Meringue with Thai sweetened egg yolk (Chat Thai Edition) ฝอยทอง
- Mango Black Sticky Rice Lamington ข้าวเหนียวดำมะม่วง
- Red Ruby Lamington ทับทิมกรอบ
- Thai Milk Tea Lamington ชานม
- Pandan Custard Lamington สังขยาใบเตย
- Golden Threads Lamington ขนมเบื้อง
Red Ruby Lamington ทับทิมกรอบ ($7.50). This creation drew inspiration from the classic Thai dessert, tub tim grob, which typically features water chestnuts coated with red tapioca pearls, served with jackfruit and young coconut in a pandan-scented coconut syrup with ice. In the lamington version, a traditional sponge housed a combination of coconut cream, whipped cream, and red rubies, all dipped in white chocolate sauce and coated with toasted coconut.
The red rubies were a revelation here as they maintained the delightful bounce of tapioca pearls while offering an incredibly juicy and crunchy interior. This unique texture translated directly into the lamington’s filling, providing a refreshing burst of cool, juicy crunch. Meanwhile, the marriage of white chocolate and coconut delivered an overall flavour reminiscent of a Ferrero Raffaello. The sponge — light, soft, and moist — completed the lamington.
Pandan Custard Lamington สังขยาใบเตย ($7.50). This featured a pandan sponge soaked in coconut milk, filled with pandan custard, then dipped in pandan white chocolate and coated in desiccated coconut.
This lamington marked a significant improvement over their previous Kaya Toast lamington, excelling not only in terms of the pandan flavour but also in the overall texture and moistness of the sponge and cream. The sponge, soaked in coconut milk, exhibited an incredibly moist and spongy texture that delivered a burst of delightful pandan flavour from the very first bite. It was an impeccably executed pandan lamington, leaving no room for criticism.
Additionally, for those looking for a unique twist, it was also available in a deep-fried version topped with pandan sauce at the original Chat Thai store in Thaitown.
Golden Threads Lamington ขนมเบื้อง ($7.50). This reinterpretation drew inspiration from khanom bueang, a traditional Thai street snack that features taco-shaped crepes filled with meringue and topped with ingredients like shredded coconut or foi thong (delicate egg yolk threads). The lamington was composed of vanilla sponge, layered with meringue and sweetened egg yolk, then dipped in coconut white chocolate and coated with crushed crepe bits.
The combination of the soft sweet meringue and the denser strips of sweetened yolk offered a delightful harmony of textures and a perfect blend of sweet and savory. While the sponge had a slightly drier quality compared to the more moist texture of the previous two lamingtons, it still retained enough moisture to prevent the crepe bits from maintaining their crunch, leading to a slightly soggy exterior. Nonetheless, the delightful toasty flavour of the crepe came through with a comforting warmth that beautifully united the flavours of the sweet meringue and savory egg yolk.
The lamingtons from the Chat Thai x Tōkyō Lamington collaboration left us thoroughly impressed. Notably, the cake sponge was wonderfully light, airy, and moist, a welcome departure from the denser, drier sponges we had experienced with Tōkyō Lamington recently. The Thai flavours were impeccably executed and truly delicious.
The Chat Thai x Tōkyō Lamington collaboration was available at Chat Thai Thaitown (20 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000), their sister Boon Cafe (1/425 Pitt St, Haymarket NSW 2000) and Tōkyō Lamington (277 Australia St, Newtown NSW 2042) between 19 September – ? October 2023.