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featured in Yorkshire Life Magazine
September 2005
Reproduced with permission
Food
& Wine
Asian Delight
It was an idyllic English village scene with
a church, green fields and picturesque cottages. Could I hear
the sound of leather on willow? Not quite, more the gentle hum
of traffic on the A19. This was the setting for our monthly Yorkshire
Life lunch. But there was a surprise in-store.
Passing throught the arched entrance, I slipped
into a world reminiscent of far-flung places with palm trees,
bamboo and tropical ferns. The hot summer had given way to soft
warm rain which served to heighten the dream-like sensation. A
quick rub of the eyes woke me up. Not a tropical beach, I was
at Sangthai Restaurant, Escrick, near York.
This was not my first visit to Sangthai; in
fact I have been here on several occasions. Each visit has been
pleasurable and without disappointment, would today be the same?
Thai cooking is my favourite style of Asian
food. I love the prickle of chilli but am not a fan of blasting
hot, so careful use of spices, aromatic herbs, fruits and coconut
in Thai suit my palette. Equally I prefer grazing through many
small courses and the day's lunch of five small starters, two
main course dishes and dessert was perfect for me.
Successful Thai food comes not only from the
careful balance of tastes and textures but relies on the freshness
of the ingredients. Anything less than squeaky fresh can be a
disaster which is one of the main faults of Thai restaurants in
this country. This is not something I have faced at Sangthai and
today's canapes of tiger prawns in batter confirmed my trust in
their sourcing of quality produce. The prawns were plump and juicy
and the batter as fine as a cobweb. So moreish... but I had to
stop after three!
Serving five small portions of starters on one
plate can be risky; swamping more delicate flavours with heavier
ones. Not so here. Each part kept its individuality making this
an exciting feast for the palette. I enjoy all of them but the
fish cakes were my favourite.
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Thai
fish cakes have become the mainstay of many a restaurant menu to
make use of left over fish. These imposters are far removed from
the subtle morsels served today using minced fish, finely chopped
green beans, a tangy bite of lime leaves and delicate spices.
The Gaeng Karee Phed (curry) was equally delightful.
Tender duck and potatoes cooked gently in coconut milk flavoured
with coriander and lemongrass. The delicate tiger prawns reapperared
in a stir-fry with pineapple, peppers and cashew nuts.
Keith Stone of Bortoli wines faced a challenge
in choosing wines to go with today's food. The complexity and
diversity makes any straight match almost impossible. He did however
succeed with the excellent pairings. I liked the Verdelho with
its tropical fruit characters and crisp balanced acidity.
Puddings need careful consideration after so
many different dishes. Slices of ripe mango and simple sticky
rice worked effortlessly to clense the palette and add a final
touch of sweetness to a superb lunch.
Service throughout was exemplary. The good looking
waitresses and handsome waiters in Thai costume wove graciously
and effortlessly between the tables, always willing to stop and
explain the different dishes.
Once more Sangthai had thrilled and delighted
me. Another memorable meal and not the last here, I hope.
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