Pen of Pen’s Thai is formerly of Googong restaurant, The Bangkok Bean. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The Googong Display Village, operated by Googong Township, has installed a permanent space for transient food trucks, events and pop-ups to bring variety and atmosphere to life in Googong.
Nestled next to the Googong display homes, the space will also serve as an attractor in luring buyers to the New South Wales suburb, as well as catering to visitors of the display homes looking for meals while they are perusing their possible future homes.
The first pop-up to appear in the space was Lucy and Layla Homewares, a Googong business that hosted local shopping experiences, yoga and served coffee from a vintage caravan. Teaming up with other local sellers on weekends, they created a market atmosphere.
Lucy and Layla Homewares have since moved on, and there is a Thai food truck in residence. The space on Edward Drive now has a faux-lawn, picnic tables and an inviting garden to dine in.
Pen’s Thai, which is open from Wednesdays until Sundays, operates from a striking silver Airstream-style van that is being run by Pen Sopaporn, the chef of Googong restaurant The Bangkok Bean, which sadly closed its doors in mid-March.
Pen’s Thai is based for most of May and possibly longer at the multi-use site at the Googong Display Village. Photo: Tenele Conway.
With smoke billowing from the van, Pen is on the wok, whipping up a menu of Thai favourites, covering stir-fries and noodle dishes, plus some Aussie classics like bacon and egg rolls, schnitzel burgers and cheeseburgers. They’re available exclusively during the day to add to the lunchtime Thai offering.
Heading along to check out what Pen was dishing up, I quickly realised the folly of not ordering in advance as I waited for my food to be cooked in the bracing May nighttime weather. As I waited, smarter people than me came and went from the site, jumping out of cars to grab their already prepared orders, but the wait did give me a chance for a quick chat with Pen between sessions on the wok.
Pen says her tenure at the site will be dependent on patronage; she is locked in till around late May, but will possibly extend another three weeks if the location proves successful.
This message was reflected by Sam Remmers, the Googong Community Manager, who says that future vendors of the site aren’t yet determined, and it will depend on the support for the space. They have plans for future food trucks, markets and pop-ups, but are also aware of the challenges presented by the region’s chilly winters, which may limit visitors.
The Googong waterfront makes a nice picnic spot with a haul from Pen’s Thai. Photo: Martin Conway.
With only a short time in residence, and longer with your support, I recommend heading along and grabbing a meal from Pen and supporting an initiative that will not only bring variety to the suburb but will support local businesses like Pen’s.
From her van, Pen is cooking everything to order, and she’s quick with the wok, so even if you didn’t order ahead, your wait won’t be too long.
Pen’s homemade spring rolls are piping hot, their crispy shells jam-packed with noodles. Her stir-frys, like her Pad Ka Pow, which features beef, holy basil and a fried egg, are generous in size and are smoky from the super-hot wok heat, and her noodle dishes, like Pad Thai and Pad Se Ew, are a tasty and filling lunch or dinner.
The Googong multi-use site, where you will find Pen’s Thai, is located at 50 Edward Drive. You can find out more about Pen’s Thai food on her Facebook page.
