Bhan Thai

These days, it’s good to know the more things change the more some things stay the same.

Take, for example, all the street marquees popping up outside city restaurants and eateries, giving the grey granite heart of Aberdeen a more Bohemian air. That’s a welcome change.

Unless, of course, you had thought your table was booked for inside your restaurant of choice, then discovered they were planning on seating you in the sparse tent outside on your own. Not what my wife and I had in mind for an intimate Saturday night, so we declined.

Which left the dilemma of where could we get in at short notice. Thankfully, one of our go-to spots, Bhan Thai, was more than accommodating. After a quick phone chat, we had our time slot booked for around the same time it would take us to walk up to its unprepossessing front door on Rose Street.

But once up the stairs, we entered the very familiar world of an elegant place that makes the proud boast of being the first restaurant in Aberdeen to be owned and run by Thais.

And we were delighted to see it had stayed the same. It’s a lovely space to eat in, with a

wood-panelled dining room, carved tables and chairs and mementoes and images of Thailand bedecking walls and surfaces.

There is a calmness to it. On the night we were there that edged to quietness, given we were the only two diners taking up an early evening slot.

Service was, as always, faultless, with the hugely friendly maitre d’ happily chatting to us about everything from the weather to how people were staying at home to watch the football (we were there during the height of the Euros).

The Food

The landscape at this point was food, not banter. Bhan Thai doesn’t make this easy, though, because the extensive menu is just so inviting.

That said, I went through the familiar fan dance I do every time I visit this place. I think I might try something I’ve never had before, like a sizzling roasted duck breast. Or perhaps check out the delights of a spicy, fresh but hearty Thai salad.

Then, after a bit of humming, hawing and page-turning, I go with a chicken Gaeng Pa, or jungle curry. Which is what I did.

My other half, though, did actually follow through on the “let’s try new things” venture. Her choice of Laksa was a bold one, I thought, given she doesn’t like prawns, which are central to the dish. But then she asked for the prawns to be left out.

Of course, these were the mains we were swithering over. The starter was much more straightforward. Who can resist a mixed platter?

Especially, who can resist one with as much going as the Bhan Thai’s offering, a sort of “greatest hits” from the world of hors’ d’oeuvres?

Normally, I like to take it easy on the starter front so I can enjoy the main courses. But this was a plate of food that demanded you just go for it.

A creature of habit, I tend to tackle these things in order, so spring roll first. You can tell a lot about a kitchen from a spring roll. So when you get one where there is no grease, crispy batter and even crispier veg inside, you relax a little.

Not too much, mind, because the chicken satay skewers were disappointing. Lukewarm and lacklustre on the flavour front, they really needed to be slathered in the spicy peanut sauce to give them a presence.

But the pastry-wrapped prawns made up for that, as did the sweet and crunchy prawn toast. Best of all, though, were the ribs. Packed with flavour and falling-off-the-bone perfection, they had us going back for more.

By the time we (actually I) had cleaned the plate, we could have finished there and gone home sated.

This, though, was just round one. The mains were on the way.

I have always liked Bhan Thai’s jungle curry because no coconut milk is used in the making of this production. Which means you have a spicy broth that allows the chilli to be front and centre, without the sweetness that can often make this closer to a sweet and cloying dish.

It was delightfully peppery, shot through with tender chicken, bamboo shoots, green beans and lots of carrots. Lots of them. But it was the holy basil and chilli that brought the authentic flavours to the party. With plenty of jasmine rice for mopping up, I was glad I stuck with the same old, same old.

The other side of the table was wishing she had perhaps played it safe too. Laksa was billed on the menu as a spicy coconut soup, with vermicelli noodles, shallot, red chilli and fresh coriander. What arrived was more like noodles in a bright yellow sauce.

It was fragrant, but not exactly punching the tastebuds, and was overly rich and creamy. Perhaps keeping the prawns out in favour of more chicken (there was plenty) was at fault, but it was a pretty one-dimensional dish. Very much on the a’rite end of the scale as opposed to awesome.

However, being adventurous sometimes means a misstep and ending up with something that doesn’t turn your crank.

Put it down to experience… and it certainly didn’t diminish our Bhan Thai experience.

The Verdict

The welcome is as authentic as the Thai flavours, and the atmosphere is just a chilled place to be when you are looking for a relaxing and enjoyable meal. With so much on the menu, Bhan Thai is worth many a return trip. I speak from experience.

Cost: £53.40

Venue: Bhan Thai, 21 Rose Street, Aberdeen