Monday 1 August 2011

Thai me up!

Thai Siam - revisited

We recently went back to the Thai Siam but this time we dined on the a la carte menu.  I’m pleased to report that the food was still pretty decent although we did notice quite a difference in price.

To start four of us shared the mixed starters which was excellent regardless of the £8.00 a head price tag.  A pretty bamboo platter arrived, generously stacked and with three dipping sauces to accompany the myriad of delights.  Chicken spring rolls and fishcakes were of the same standard as our last meal, but the chicken satay was stand out.  Charred on the outside and moist in the middle it was superb as was the accompanying peanut sauce.  The Pandan chicken was also tasty, quite fragrant and again well cooked.  Prawn tempura was advertised but what arrived was a mountain of battered vegetables and I was glad they did, although nowhere close to a tempura batter the vegetables had been lightly coated with a Chinese style batter (think sweet & sour chicken) and quickly fried so they had the perfect amount of crunch.  The selection of veg was wide, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, onions and green beans to name a few - a big portion but excellent for a group of friends to enjoy.

For main course I opted for the duck Ped Thai Siam, a spicy and sizzling dish which was well cooked and interesting, it's one I would order again but beware, there was quite a bit of fat on the duck which as a glutton I devoured, but if you're a fataphobe steer clear.  Managed to snatch a taste of my husband's Gang Panang this again lived up to the last review, although he was accidently given duck instead of beef!  Noodles and rice were delicious as were the thai prawn crackers which I have managed to source from my local Chinese supermarket and have now started frying at home, not good for the waistline I admit but everything in moderation.....

The bill for four was £130 which included two bottles of wine and service was friendly and efficient.  My advice is to try the Thai Siam's pre theatre first and if it's your cup of tea go a la carte for the mixed starter alone!


Original post below.

Thai Siam - Argyle Street, Glasgow

Pre theatre dining can be hit or miss when dining with friends, I often think restaurants limit these menus too much however Thai Siam is not one of these restaurants.  With a vegetarian in tow it seemed like the perfect place to get a reasonable meal without compromise on choice. 

Greeted with a friendly face and Thai prawn crackers on the table, drinks were ordered and menus perused.  The pre theatre offers a generous three courses for £12.90 which I think is brilliant value for money.  All main dishes are available with a choice of bean curd, vegetables, chicken, beef, pork or prawn which again appeals to all tastes and your side dishes are included.

I started my meal with chicken spring rolls which were full of chicken meat and vegetables with a slight curry hit which I enjoyed and served with a standard sweet chilli sauce.  I managed to steal a taste of the fish cakes which again were very enjoyable and although I would argue that they are probably not homemade, it didn’t bother me or my husband who wolfed them down with great gusto.  Other starters of vegetable spring rolls and chicken satay got equally decent reviews from our friends.

Main courses were tasty, my beef in black pepper and garlic was more reminiscent of a Chinese dish with a slightly gloopy sauce but I still tucked in.  Again a swift fork manoeuvre allowed me a taste of my husband’s choice of Gang Panang, a much more traditional Thai dish with a well spiced coconut sauce it left me struck with a bit of the old food envy.  An unfairly advertised “plain” noodle accompaniment was livened up with well cooked vegetables and was utterly delicious, as was the egg fried rice which along with large portions left us all feeling more than satisfied.

Sadly nobody had room for dessert, even the temptation of a banana fritter couldn’t coax a space in our bellies.  Service was great, really nice and quick with copious prawn cracker refill requests met with a smile.  I recommend you try Thai Siam especially the pre theatre or lunch deal which has similar broad choice and good value menu.

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