I have never been to Hanuman restaurant in Darwin, but I have eaten one of their signature dishes. The Hanuman oysters, hiding under their little terracotta caps and flavoured with lemongrass, sweet basil, ginger, chilli and coriander,  featured at Jimmy Shu’s former restaurants in Melbourne. In the 1990s, at the Isthmus of Kra in South Melbourne, they were called Monsoon Oysters, named after yet another Shu restaurant, Monsoon, in Armadale. I’m not usually one for cooked oysters, but just writing about these makes me want to get on an aeroplane and head north.

Jimmy Shu has been almost single-handedly responsible for putting Australia’s northernmost capital on the culinary map. His television series, Jimmy Shu’s Taste of the Territory, introduced SBS viewers to the markets, produce and cooks of the top end. But the Sri Lanka-born chef’s Australian journey began in Melbourne. Arriving in 1970 with $50 in his pocket, he worked three jobs: in a food processing factory, as a cook in a Chinese restaurant and as an office cleaner.

After gaining permanent residency, he began working at Melbourne’s first noodle bar, the Chinese Noodle Shop, moving on to cook at the pioneering Shakahari vegetarian restaurant where he became a partner. In 1987, with the Shakahari team, he opened Monsoon and, the following year, the Isthmus of Kra. An early review of Monsoon in The Age, was enthusiastic about those oysters:

The oysters come in a specially made ceramic plate, unglazed on the outside, with six shallow glazed indentations covered by lids. The plate is wonderful, and eating from it, lifting one lid at a time to release a marvellous scent of oysters and herbs, is a considerable pleasure. The oysters, with lime, coriander and other herbs, were delicious, although it was impossible to disentangle the pleasure of eating them from the pleasure in their presentation.

Shu’s move to Darwin in 1992 was the result of a trip to source quality barramundi for his Melbourne restaurants. He saw an opening for a Thai restaurant, found a willing partner, and Hanuman was the result. In 2001 he expanded the franchise to the red centre, opening an Alice Springs branch of Hanuman at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel. Hoping to capitalise on the strong links between the Northern Territory and South Australia, Shu opened a third Hanuman in Adelaide in 2014. However, despite a loyal following, this was not a success and closed after two years.

The Darwin and Alice restaurants, however, are still going strong (as of 2025), no doubt boosted by Shu’s television series. While the menu includes Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum soup and classic green curries, the food is pan-Asian with dishes from Indian and nyonya cuisines (a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, and other local flavors). It’s a combination that reflects Darwin’s multi-cultural makeup. As Shu told the NT News:

“People down south don’t realise that the NT is a fascinating place, very different from the rest of Australia,” Jimmy says. “We truly are a happy melting pot. “I love the Territory and love promoting it. Anything that thrills me, I want to share.”