Thai Restaurants

Restaurants reviewed on this page:

* Siam Bangkok
* Silk Thai
* Thai Lanna

15th March 2008 - The Sugar Hut

4 Opie Street,Norwich,NR1 3DN
Tel: 01603 766755

Parking: None - nearest parking Castle Mall

Smoking: No

Expect to pay: £25-30 (approx) per person for 2 courses and drinks, £35 (approx) per person for 3 courses and drinks

We had wanted to come here for quite a while but everytime we had rang to book they had been full, which of course is a very good sign. We managed to get an early table and set off to find out if all the good stories we'd heard about this place were true. The answer is a resounding yes. I have to say this was probably one of, if not THE, best Thai meals (and meal in general) I've ever had. It was absolutely superb. Everything from the atomosphere the second you walk in, the smiley, polite service, the fantastic menu, wonderful food, great wine and just all round comfort of the place. I can't wait to go back.

We shared - the set menu for 2. Before our food arrived, we were given a basket of fresh homemade prawn crackers, which were amazing. Really beautiful texture with a little bit of a spicy kick. For starters, we were given a plate of mixed starters. This was the (what I thought) 'usual' affair of satay chicken, crab cakes, prawn and pork parcels, spring rolls, pastries and salad. However, this was different. Usually, I get the impression that these are all cooked from frozen and the dips come out of a bottle. Not with this - everything was fresh, clean, tasty, hot, sour and gorgeous. Everything was made in-house and I could have eaten it all night.
Onto the mains and our table was covered with plates of food. We had a green chicken curry, garlic pork (with lots of garlic!!!), sweet and sour prawns, stir-fried veg and egg-fried rice. WOW! Everything was superb. All the flavours hitting you from side to side. The hotness of the curry, with the crunchy veg, the perfectly cooked garliccy pork and the mountain of juicy prawns in a beautiful sauce. I was full but couldn't stop eating. Somehow me managed to polish it off. I was really impressed with the standard of the food and the size of the portions. Sometimes, you can feel a little 'ripped off' by set menus but this was incredible value for money.
We then realised dessert was included in the deal. We expected the normal affair of a plastic menu covered in pictures of sorbets and ice-creams. Oh no, this was maybe one of the hardest decisions of the evening. Don't ask me to tell you what it was in Thai, but we shared a pineapple fritter with ice-cream and a bowl of bananas in coconut milk with sesame seeds. The latter making you want to swim in it. It was just gooey, sweet and gorgeous. It was like baby food but also a really, clever, well balanced dish with a slight salty after-taste (tamarind?) to make up for the sweetness.
The fritter was also superb. Really crispy batter led to a lovely ring of fresh pineapple that went fantastically with the ice-cream.
And then they brough us coffee and chocolates! The best value meal I've had in a very very long while. Can't wait to go back.

Rating:

Food: ***** Service ***** Atmosphere ***** Menu ***** Wine/Drinks *****

OVERALL = *****

26th January 2008 - Siam Bangkok

8, Orford Hill, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 3QD
Tel: 01603 617817

Smoking: No

Parking: No - nearest car park Castle Mall

We were meeting friends for some food and a catch up and all decided that we fancied Thai. As this was almost central for all of us, we decided to go here. Really wish we hadn't bothered. Empty restaurant with no atomosphere, terrible food - more like a greasy, bland Chinese takeaway rather than fresh vibrant, clean tastes of real Thai food. It also came in small portions and I left still feeling hungry and a bit cheated.
The service, in my opinion, was really rude. We were her only customers (probably in a long while judging by this!) ands she didn't smile once, was very abrupt when taking our order, smacked plates down on the table and insisted on coming back to the table to keep topping up our glasses with the wine - which I REALLY hate. Overall, a really bad experience and one I definitely won't be repeating.

Rating:

Food * Service (Zero) Atmosphere (Zero) Menu **** Wine/Drinks ***

OVERALL = *

3rd March 2007 - Thai Lanna

24, Bridewell Alley, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1AQ
Tel: 01603 625087

Smoking: No

Parking: No - Nearest car park St. Andrews

Expect to pay: £25 (approx) per head for 2 courses with drinks or £30 (approx) for 3 courses with drinks

We were here on recommendation of a friend. We fancied Thai and hadn't been to a Thai restaurant in ages so I asked around. This was the most popular suggestion so we went with it.
When we arrived, we could see why. We were only able to get a table at 8.30 because it was so packed. There was a real buzz about the place with mostly couples sitting at tables in the romantically dark rooms, sharing plates of food.
I have to say that our welcome wasn't the most cheery but I took this as a sign that she was a bit stressed because it was so busy.
The service was very professional and attentive but not very polite or friendly. Again I took this as a sign that she was busy. What I didn't like was the fact that she banged our bottle of wine on the table when she brought it and kept returning to the table to fill our glasses every time we'd taken a few sips. It's the oldest trick in the book to make customers drink more (I know, because I used to do it!) and I find it really irritating so I had to tell her to stop.
The food and wine were very good and overall I'm really glad we came. I would definitely recommend coming here. Hopefully next time we come, we might get a smile!

We had: For starter we shared the chef's platter - a delicious selection of satay chicken, spring rolls, fish cakes, parcels with minced pork, battered prawns and also some vegetarian offerings. They were all excellent and served with delicious dips.
For main course, we shared the roast honey duck on a bed of crispy seaweed and a red chicken curry with some sides of rice and noodles. The duck was amazing. I really enjoyed it and couldn't eat enough. Slices of duck in a kind of sweet, sticky, crunchy coating with gorgeous moist duck inside. This, paired with the salty, crisp seaweed was perfect.
Surprisingly, it also went very well with the red curry we'd ordered. The curry was nicely flavoured and spiced and just the right hotness. The chicken was also perfectly cooked. I also liked the slight crunch of the peppers and snake beans that were in it.
The sticky rice was a really good accompaniment and suited both dishes. However, the noodles were very poor. They were very plain, a bit rubbery and to be honest a little like super noodles!
We didn't have room for dessert.

Rating:

Food: **** Service *** Atmosphere ***** Menu ***** Wine/Drinks ***1/2

OVERALL = ****

25th February 2006 - Silk Thai

17, St. Benedicts St, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4PE
Tel: 01603 666223

Smoking: No

Parking: No. Nearest parking near Toys R Us / TK Maxx. Would suggest walking or taxi.

My friend Robin was down from Newcastle and we wanted to take him somewhere to eat. We let him decide what we were eating and he chose Thai.
We'd heard good stories about this place recently from a friend so decided to take him here.
I have to say it was very good although a little odd. It feels more like a cafe than a restaurant because it's quite small and cramped inside but this kind of adds to its charm.
The service was very good from (who I think was) the friendly manager.
Every table - there aren't many! - was full and everyone seemed to be enjoying their meals. It was good to have really authentic down-to-earth Thai food again. I haven't had this type of food since I was actually in Thailand. Really basic, good ingredients, cooked really well and hot enough to blow your socks off. Excellent.
The wine we had with our meal was very good too. We left full, rosey-cheeked and ready to go back into the cold winter night.

I had: For starter we shared the Silk Platter - honey chicken wings, prawn toasts, tempura vegetables, mushrooms and prawns, spring rolls, satay chicken skewers and dipping sauces. A really good appetiser. All cooked really well, however I found the tempura batter just a little too heavy and greasy after a while. It should have been a lot lighter.
For main course I had the seafood (Something! I'll find out...). King prawns, mussels and squid in a really hot sauce made with chilli, garlic, spring onions and ginger. So many flavours going on and really spicy. Excellent prawns and squid but I thought the mussels tasted a little too 'fishy'. Overall I really enjoyed it even though it nearly made me cry because it was so hot.

Rating

Food **** Service **** Atmosphere **** Menu ***** Wine / Drinks *****

OVERALL ****1/2

3rd April 2004 – Siam Bangkok

8, Orford Hill, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 3QD
Tel: 01603 617817

Smoking: Yes - designated area (at time of visit)

Parking: No - nearest car park Castle Mall

We were going to the cinema at 9 and just fancied something to eat before we went in to watch the film. We both wanted something ‘different’ and Thai came to mind. Incidentally, the closest Thai restaurant to Ster Century cinema happens to be Siam Bangkok.
It was very cosy and welcoming, especially the young Thai chap who came to greet us at the door. We were really surprised by how small it was. It was also completely packed with people so we knew we were on to a good thing.
The atmosphere was quite formal but still nice and relaxed with that jolly tinny Thai music in the background. We also really liked the parasols that adorned the ceiling. There must be hundreds of them.
The food was very good and the service was very efficient if not that friendly from the serious-looking woman who brought us our food.
The good thing about eating Thai is that you are encouraged to share. Whatever you order, you will always be given clean plates and your meals will be put in the middle of the table. The way it should be…

We shared: (starter) A mixed starter of chicken satay – beautifully tender barbequed chicken with peanut sauce and cucumber salad; Tiger prawn spring rolls – juicy prawns wrapped in filo pastry with minced pork served with sweet plum sauce; Kratong Tong (or Golden Basket) – a mixture of chicken, prawns and sweetcorn served in a little basket made from Thai batter. Tasty but a little bit too ‘squidgy’ for my liking. It fell apart when you picked it up; Namoo (or minced pork on toast) – Basically what it says. Made with chopped veg, Thai herbs then deep-fried. Went very well with the sweet chilli sauce; Tung Tong (Bags of gold) – minced pork with herbs in a an edible bag then deep friend. Delicious. Especially with the sweet chilli sauce. Moo Yung – Chargrilled pork skewers with peanut sauce. Meat fell straight off the skewer and melted in the mouth. The peanut sauce went perfectly with it.
For main course we shared Gang Dang Gai (or Red Chicken Curry) – Thin strips of chicken in a quite mild but really flavoursome sauce. I would’ve liked it a tiny bit hotter but what I love about Thai food is all the flavours you get in your mouth all at once. Where Indian spices sort of ‘hit’ you, Thai ones are very subtle. It also had bamboo shoots in the sauce. Very much like snake beans if you’ve ever had them.
We also shared Peow Wan Goong (or king prawns in a light batter served in a homemade sweet and sour sauce with vegetables. Really big juicy prawns which were excellent. However, I just thought the sauce was a little too thick and ‘gloopy’. It tasted good but could have been just that little bit thinner. We still enjoyed it. I know it was my fault but I now wish I hadn’t chosen this. There was so many exciting dishes to choose from and I chose the one that I’ve had loads of times before in other places and something I could have ordered anywhere. I’d like to come again and try something entirely different and ‘more Thai’.
We also shared some perfectly cooked egg fried rice. Make sure you only buy ONE portion to share. You get loads! All washed down with cool Singha lager. Excellent.
Overall, a very enjoyable meal. We will definately have to come again with more people so we can try more dishes.

Rating:

Food ***1/2 Service *** Atmosphere *** Menu **** Drinks/Wine ***

OVERALL ***1/2