Celebrated Chef Air Jantrakool (Sailor’s Thai) has taken the helm at new Thai restaurant Sita, situated within historic heritage Haymarket building, Mountbatten Hotel in Sydney.
Originally built in 1882, Mountbatten Hotel is owned and operated by family-owned hospitality group, JDA Hotels. Sita showcases Chef Air’s decades of expertise with a menu that celebrates the depth and vibrancy of Thai cuisine.
Pacharin ‘Air’ Jantrakool, a revered figure in Sydney’s Thai culinary scene, brings more than 35 years of experience to Sita. A protégé of acclaimed Chef David Thompson, Air’s mastery of Thai cuisine has been showcased at some of Sydney’s most esteemed venues, including the iconic Sailors Thai, where she worked with Thompson for 15 years, as well as Chon Thai, Betel Leaf, Tapioca and Noble Canteen.
Her journey also led her to collaborations with Australian food icon Maeve O’Meara earning a feature on Food Safari.
Born in Chiang Mai, Air’s cooking is deeply personal, shaped by her Northern Thai heritage and a childhood spent preparing meals for her large family. Now, through a partnership with JDA Hotels, Air is infusing Sita’s menu with the bold, authentic flavours of her homeland.
"Sita is more than just a restaurant – it’s a love letter to the food of my childhood,” she says. "Each dish is made from the heart, as if I were cooking for family. JDA Hotels has given me a space to share these flavours with Sydney in an environment that values authenticity and warmth.”
At Sita, guests can expect a menu that balances tradition with innovation. Menu highlights include:
Muu Krob Piew Wan (crispy pork belly) – a signature dish Air has perfected over 20 years in the kitchen, featuring crispy pork belly in a sweet and sour sauce and inspired by Air’s time at Sailors Thai.
Khao Soi (Northern-style coconut curry) – a rich, fragrant Northern Thai curry, with soft egg noodles, crispy noodle topping, pickled mustard greens, shallots and house-made chilli oil.
New dishes Air has been working on which are coming to the menu soon include Chor Muang (butterfly pea dumplings) – delicate, purple hand-shaped flower dumplings with a flavourful filling, inspired by Royal Thai Cuisine; Northern Larb Moo (minced pork salad) – another Northern Thai specialty, traditionally served at celebrations, made with hand-roasted spices and crispy shallots and bite-sized pork buns, featuring Air’s signature sauce, perfected over two decades and paired with crispy pork belly for a rich yet balanced flavour.
Sita’s culinary experience is complemented by expertly crafted cocktails from the talented team of mixologists at the venue’s Cherries bar. Hero pours include Phuket Calada, a tropical twist on the classic Pina Colada, blending mango, pandan and dark rum, served in a coconut-polished bowl; gin-based cocktail Simon’s Secret with citrus, watermelon and playful bubble-gum notes; and The Nightcap, a rich, aromatic blend with bittersweet chocolate undertones, perfect for rounding off an evening at Sita.
From the outside, Mountbatten Hotel is the classic Aussie pub, complete with bottle-green subway tiles and timber planter boxes. On the inside, Sita seamlessly integrates with Cherries, a space that combines heritage elegance with contemporary touches.
The venue, designed by Span Design Studio, features ornate gold mouldings, mirrored walls and cherry-toned ambient lighting, creating a setting that evokes the charm of Bangkok’s vibrant night scene while respecting the building’s rich history.
With a menu crafted from decades of experience and an atmosphere steeped in both heritage and contemporary allure, Sita at Mountbatten Hotel is set to become Sydney’s next Thai-defining dining destination.
For those eager to experience Sita, the venue is open Monday through to Sunday for lunch (11.30 am-3 pm) and dinner (4 pm-9.30 pm), reservations and walk-ins are welcome.
