When we last visited Chaophraya it was for Mr E’s birthday, today we’ve visited for the launch of their new menu. Having been before we were expecting very good things. It is hoped with new menu launch it will transform its dining experience. Chaophraya hope their new menu will deliver a sophisticated edge to Thai dining, by offering a mix of eclectic and contemporary dishes inspired by tastes from across the Thai regions. The new dining experience will see the diner embark on a culinary and cultural journey, by combining the innovative menu with traditional Thai hospitality and opulent décor. Drawing inspiration from the rich culture of Thailand, diners will notice the influence of certain Thai provinces, including Chiang Mai, the Maeklong River, Khanchanaburi and the banks of the Chaophraya River in Bangkok. Part of the transformation will see Chaophraya encourage guests to embrace the traditional way of dining as per Thai culture, by eating ‘family style,’ where multiple dishes are shared by everyone at the table. This new dining experience will challenge misconceptions associated with eating Thai food with chopsticks, as in the majority of cases only noodle dishes are eaten this way, and instead, a spoon and fork will be presented at the table.
We love the setting of Chaophraya, from the street you wouldn’t know that it’s there but when your in the restaurant it really is like being in a whole different world. From when you step out of the lift and up the stairs its beautifully decorated and there’s always a friendly welcome whenever you visit and tonight was no different.
Settling down and browsing the new menu we wanted to order everything. First things first I sorted myself out with cocktail. Their cocktail menu is devine and full of exotic, tropical flavours and also twists on old favourites. I opted for a flower market cocktail. This is a mixture of Aperol, Colonel Fox Gin, St Germain Elderflower, Lemon, Vanilla. It very quickly reminded me of being back in Italy on honeymoon.
Starters was an easy choice. We opted for the MAEKLONG PLATTER which is their most popular classic starter selection of chicken satay, prawn and pork dumplings, chicken spring rolls, sweetcorn cakes. It was the satay and dumplings which caught our eye but when it came to taste everything was fantastic but for me the sweetcorns were delicious. I could have eaten a whole portion of them, the were very moreish. Crunchy sweetcorn made it seem a healthy option. The spring rolls, satay and dumplings were all equally delicious and the presentation of the dish lived up to their new theatrical theme. It was a good sized starter to get us going. We no sooner had our starter plates cleared and our mains where being set down.
We both wanted to try something new but kept being drawn back to our favourites massaman lamb and chicken pad thai. Chaophraya’s massam lamb curry is 4 Massaman Gaeh Pieces of tender lamb stewed with massaman curry, coconut milk, carrots, potatoes and baby onions, topped with cashew nuts. Massaman is made with turmeric, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and chillies and is one of the favourite dishes of the Thai Royal Family, dating back to the 16th Century and side of sticky rice. Their chicken pad thai is the national dish of Thailand. Stir-fried rice noodles in tamarind sauce with chicken, spring onions, carrots, egg, tofu, sweet turnip and bean sprouts, topped with lightly pickled vegetables. These were fantastic. The massaman curry had a great flavour and the lamb didn’t require any cutting, it broke easily with a fork. The pad thai was served under a glass dome which is lifted when the plate is set on the table. This all adds to the atmosphere that your dining somewhere fancy. We made quick work of our main courses and were quickly persuaded by our server to have a look at their dessert menu.
Little did we know that the chocolate bombe which Mr E ordered would be as showy and exciting as it was. My chocolate box dessert seemed simple compared to his. The chocolate bomb is served as a globe of chocolate which then has hot caramel sauce poured over it to reveal Thai whiskey ice cream and honey and toasted sesame popcorn centre. Mr E thought he was in heaven. The whiskey could certainly be tasted in the dish, I thought it was a little too boozy but Mr E was delighted. My dessert of white chocolate box was white chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis on butter shortbread served with a mini macaroon and passion fruit syrup. Each component was delicious and the presentation was very eye catching yet simple.
Service was swift and our servers were fantastic. Chaophraya really does pride itself in its service and again it was excellent on this visit. The menu is great and there is definitely something for everyone. Make sure to choose something dramatic and the presentation definitely won’t disappoint.
Chaophraya Edinburgh | 4th Floor, 33 Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3DN | T: 0131 226 7614 |
Twitter: @Chao_Edinburgh
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