Page 52 - Tropic Magazine Issue 31

TROPIC • FOOD

Foodie rivalry

CURRY CLUB 1. Crying Tiger
2. Thai Beef Salad
Cairns Curry Club’s
Co-founder and Vice President
explains the organisation’s 1
governance, details a run-in
with a rival club and provides
an expert review.
Turns out it was a boys’ trip away and
Words: Greg Wilkinson we were soon to discover this was the
Royal Queensland Curry Club!
Alright, I’ll just clarify one thing. Of all the spice joints in all the towns, 2
Everyone is a Junior VP at Cairns Curry they had chosen this one on the
Club. Well, at least the 15 or 20 guys who same night as us. They were doctors,
were there the night executive positions engineers, dentists – we weren’t. They Songkran Thai
were decided. had business cards, merchandise and Bentley Park
It was in the early days, an exciting time a much bigger travel budget than
as we were getting established. we did. These guys were pros. I struck
Big groups with new faces were turning up a conversation with one of them
up every week, which meant a lot of – their President, no less. He gave me Ambience: Relaxed, indoor. Probably
us were sticking to the first rule: tell his card and paused for me to do does more take-away than dine-in.
everyone you know about Curry Club. the same. I had to make up some lame Bustling with a good noisy vibe.
We had initiation rules, themes, a excuse, like my cards were still at the The food: All fresh, attractive, hot,
Facebook page, Jason always ordered the printers. He saw straight through me. bright and full of flavour. Average
entrees and bread and Liam usually did entrée price $5-$10 and average main
a speech at some point – a real highlight. about $15.
We always booked as The Cairns Curry Curry Club recommends:
Club as though somehow our notoriety Crying Tiger - A signature dish for the
preceded us and that would mean VIP meat enthusiast. Grilled flank tossed
treatment. They were our rivals and with lemongrass steak, blushing and
It was organised mayhem. they were winning served sizzling with a sprinkling of
And then one night, the strangest shallots. Simple and delicious.
coincidence occurred that will forever live
in Curry Club legend. Thai Beef Salad - An easily overlooked
It was a small, typical curry house (I can’t classic. Something you can make at
remember the name) on the main drag of Truth be told, they were a pretty good home, right? Not like this. ‘Tasty beef’
the south side of town. The epitome of an bunch of blokes. We combined our is an understatement. You can even
establishment where the tackier the décor evenings and had one big curry night, order it mild, medium or hot.
is, the better the food. The place was the biggest ever for our club. Cons: Not a lot of seating, so book
After that evening, we vowed to get
empty when we arrived, but all the tables cards and merch and travel further, ahead to dine in.
were arranged in two long lines running maybe one day even to India. Pros: So much variety (including
parallel from the front door to counter. That’ll show ‘em. We agreed that no- Indian curries!) and great value.
We sat and settled in, and before Jason one should outrank anyone else, that BYO. A well-deserved reputation as
could even finalise a garlic naan order, the we should all be Junior VPs, which one of Cairns’ best Thais.
doors opened and another group started would be the highest possible club And that’s coming from a die-hard
filling the adjacent table. Two long tables, honour. In the few years since, we’ve Samgasat fan.
two groups of about 20. All blokes. travelled as far as Port Douglas. The
No one else in the whole place. business cards are still at the printers.

52 • Tropic • Issue 31