{"id":41697,"date":"2018-07-18T01:38:02","date_gmt":"2018-07-17T15:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.australiantraveller.com\/hanuman\/"},"modified":"2023-02-27T15:54:02","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T04:54:02","slug":"hanuman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.australiantraveller.com\/nt\/darwin\/hanuman\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant review: Hanuman, Darwin, NT"},"content":{"rendered":"
Where do you eat when you\u2019re only in town for a few hours? Go where the recommendations point you, and you won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/h5>\n
<\/div>\n

When I told people the AT<\/i> team had a stop-over of a few hours in Darwin on the way back from our last issue\u2019s cover shoot at El Questro, more than one friend suggested we have dinner at Hanuman, the Asian-inspired restaurant that has been a local favourite since it opened in 1992. I figured if the name kept coming up, there must be a good reason, so I booked a table for four before we left Sydney.<\/p>\n\n

Fast forward a week. Even though we\u2019ve just spent four sweltering days in the Kimberley, Darwin\u2019s humidity hits hard. Before dinner, we take a walk to the harbour so by the time we get to Hanuman, we are aching for a long cold drink.<\/p>\n

Details<\/h2>\n

Who: <\/strong>Hanuman, Darwin<\/a><\/p>\n

Where: <\/strong>93 Mitchell Street, Darwin, NT<\/p>\n

Price range: <\/strong>$$<\/p>\n

Cuisine:\u00a0<\/strong>Indian and Thai<\/p>\n

The restaurant<\/h2>\n

Hanuman is divided into two halves. Inside is a sleekly sophisticated room with dark d\u00e9cor, a low ceiling, charcoal-coloured walls and a red neon bar. Indoor diners appear better dressed than we are, and a lot less sweaty.<\/p>\n\n

Outside, meanwhile, has a vaulted corrugated iron ceiling, deck-like floor, plantation-style shutters that open onto the street and, thankfully, ceiling fans. It\u2019s an airy, casual space much better suited to the four of us, who, to be honest, have lost our lustre thanks to spending the morning travelling first by 4WD to Kununurra then plane to Darwin. We are tired, hot and hungry, and still, have the Sydney leg to go.<\/p>\n\n

As we eye off the menu, I\u2019m delighted to discover the house vodka is my favourite, Wyborowa, a rye-based Polish vodka that\u2019s so smooth you can drink it straight. I have mine in a tall chilled glass, with tonic, while I study the menu.<\/p>\n

The menu<\/h2>\n

Chef Jimmy Shu has designed an impressive array of dishes, which combine Thai, Indian and Nonya (Chinese Malay) influences. The one thing all those cooking styles have in common is their intense, spice-driven flavours. Jimmy\u2019s cuisine has translated so well to the northern Australian climate that he also has another Hanuman restaurant in Alice Springs.<\/p>\n\n

We order two entrees \u2013 Nonya Pork Rolls, flavoured with Chinese five-spice and wrapped in bean curd sheets with a delicious soy tamarind dipping sauce, and Trumpet Mushrooms. Oven-baked in a clay dish and topped with fresh chilli and Asian parsley, they are simple and succulent.<\/p>\n

\"Hanuman

Order the graze plates to try all the best dishes.<\/p><\/div>\n

Although there are four of us, we decide to go with five mains \u2013 why not? We share a red duck curry, red lentil dahl, Kang Kong greens, pork belly and jewfish fillets. While a friend swears you should never consume beasts from the air, land and sea in the same sitting, the mismatch of our meal turns out to be the greens. There are just too many flavours going on in this dish at once, and they clash with the heartier choices.<\/p>\n\n

The other dishes are superb. The jewfish is fresh and the broth light and fragrant. The pork is crispy and fatty, just the way you want it. The table favourites are the duck curry casserole punctuated with sweet blasts of lychee and pineapple, and the rich, full-flavoured dahl.<\/p>\n\n

We\u2019re absolutely stuffed by the time we get through all the dishes, but the desserts look so good that we order two anyway. The black rice Brulee is a sticky-rice style dessert topped with caramelised custard \u2013 very sweet. The lemon and lime curd tart is surprisingly subtle, but its berry compote accompaniment adds intensity.<\/p>\n\n

Speaking of intensity, I\u2019ve over-indulged. My belly is full to bursting point. Luckily, I\u2019ve got nothing to do but sit back and digest all the way to Sydney.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What we ordered<\/h2>\n

Nonya Pork Rolls with Chinese five spices and wrapped in bean curd<\/p>\n\n

Trumpet Mushrooms topped with a fine mince of pork, prawn and spices warmed with a coconut cream sauce<\/p>\n\n

Red Lentil Dahl with tomato, cumin, turmeric and garam masala<\/p>\n\n

Kang Kong Greens \u2013 water spinach, stir-fried with yellow soya beans, garlic and chilli<\/p>\n

\"Hanuman

Dig into the buttery garlic naan and kang kong greens.<\/p><\/div>\n

Red Curry of Duck roasted then simmered in a rich coconut and red curry sauce with Thai basil, kaffir lime leaf, lychee and fresh pineapple<\/p>\n\n

Local Jewfish Fillets gently simmered in a broth of Humpty doo ginger, galangal and kaffir lime leaf<\/p>\n\n

Pork belly cooked Toew Chiu Chinese style, scented with cinnamon and star anise<\/p>\n\n

Coconut jasmine rice infused with ginger and pandan leaves<\/p>\n\n

Black rice Brulee: pandan infused black rice cooked with coconut topped with caramelised custard<\/p>\n\n

Lemon and lime curd tart with mixed berry compote and double cream<\/p>\n\n

Safe to say, I didn’t back down.<\/p>\n

\"Hanuman

The dishes are filled with deletable flavours.<\/p><\/div>\n

The verdict<\/h2>\n

Great food and a nice ambience. If you\u2019re going on a date in Darwin, sit inside \u2013 it\u2019s quieter, darker and more intimate. But if you can, get a gang together so you can order more dishes, get rowdy and share at an outdoor table.<\/p>\n\n

All AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way \u2013 so we experience exactly what you would.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

If you’re stopping through Darwin, check out our guide to exploring the best of this Northern Territory city.<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where do you eat when you\u2019re only in town for a few hours? Go where the recommendations point you, and you won\u2019t be disappointed. When I told people the AT team had a stop-over of a few hours in Darwin on the way back from our last issue\u2019s cover shoot at El Questro, more than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":205696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"article-deals.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"categories":[880],"tags":[4584,4493,968,4748,5139,4572,4628,1905],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHanuman Restaurant Review, Darwin, NT - Australian Traveller<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hanuman has a cult following in the Northern Territory, with restaurants in Darwin and Alice Springs. 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