But you rarely find a local that isn't ... well, local. So when my friend told me that his "local" Thai place was one which he drove across the lake for, I knew I had to try it. And the fact the restaurant recommendation came with an urge to book - even on a Wednesday night - made me realise he must be on to something.

And it's a good thing we did book - Thai Herb in Harrison is absolutely packed. And the smell! Even as we park the car we can smell the heavenly scents coming from the kitchen. And it only gets better when we walk into the restaurant.

Inside, Thai Herb is welcoming. With dark walls and wooden details, it's a modern fit-out that is fine for a casual dinner. Little details such as the visible security footage and the abundance of hard surfaces, making it quite a loud venue - albeit one you can still have a conversation in - might rule it out for a more formal affair.

It's a girls' catch-up this evening which calls for cocktails, and if you're a lover of puns, this cocktail list is for you. Margari-Thai, One Night in Bang-choc, Thai-jito - you've got to love the commitment. My friend chooses a Thai-tanic - gin, vodka, Cointreau, Alizé and lime juice - and I pick up the restaurant's take on a mojito, to kick off the evening. The Thai-tanic is a winner, but the Thai-jito is a little heavy on the lime - and in this case, it's lime cordial not lime juice.

This evening's menu kicks off with some barbecue pork skewers and the garlic and pepper quail - both of which are served with a tangy Thai dipping sauce. It may just be the best dipping sauce I've ever had. Filled with garlic, chilli, spring onion and coriander - I could have sipped it like a soup.

I found the skewers didn't need the dressing on the side - the marinade had a sweetness to it that went well with the char-grilled meat. The quail, however, really needed that extra oomph the dressing brought to it. The meat itself didn't have a lot of flavour and was slightly overcooked.

When it came to main meals, we over-ordered. Not only because we wanted to try as much as we could on the menu, but because the serving sizes are extremely generous. But who says no to leftovers for lunch the next day?

My friend says she can judge how good a restaurant is by their green curry - and Thai Herb passes with flying colours. We have a choice of what protein to get with the curry - we choose duck - but it's also packed with plenty of vegetables as well including zucchini, eggplant, green beans and bamboo shoots. As for the sauce, it has a great balance of sweetness and spice. It almost has layers. You get the soothing element of the coconut at the front of the palate before the heat of the chilli at the back. We pair it with the coconut rice, which we end up questioning if it is just plain steamed rice because the coconut is almost non-existent. But the green curry was always going to be the star.

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Joining the curry is the pad see ew and the crackling pork with Chinese broccoli. The pad see ew has a nice caramelisation to it, and the noodles are cooked perfectly. It's hard to outshine the pork belly, however. Each layer is perfectly cooked - the incredibly crispy skin and the tender meat underneath. It was dressed with a soy and garlic sauce that goes great with the Chinese broccoli.

For dessert, we decided to share the black sticky rice with Thai custard, and the banana fritters. You can't go wrong with banana fritters. Here they are chopped into bite-sized pieces, with a super crispy, deep-fried coating, encasing the gooiness of the banana inside. Served with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, it's a simple yet winning combination.

The black sticky rice is the dessert for people who don't want dessert. It's served with vanilla ice cream on the side but that's really the only sweet element. The rest is quite salty - possibly even too much so - and walks that line between savoury and dessert. The rice has a rich, butteriness to it, and the structural integrity comes from the custard on top, which again isn't very sweet. I just wish the side serve of ice cream was on the plate, rather than in a side dish so that its sweetness can properly mix with the overall saltiness of the dish.

All around it's a great meal - and one we can both relive for lunch the next day. Thai Herb fulfils that role of a strong local restaurant that gives you great flavour without having to make an occasion out of it. Good food for the sake of having good food. And even if you're technically not a local, it's worth crossing the lake for.

Address: 94, 11 Wimmera Street, Harrison

Phone: 6255 7070

Website: thaiherb.com.au

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 12pm to 9pm

Owner: Valaya Peris

Chefs: Vanessa Peris

Dietary: Good options

Noise: Loud, but you can have a conversation

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