insideKENT Magazine Issue 89 - August 2019 | Page 98

FOOD+DRINK THE GIGGLING SQUID HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES THAI IS MY FAVOURITE FOOD, WHICH MAKES ME A BIT OF A DISCERNING DINER WHEN EATING AT THAI RESTAURANTS. SADLY, SO MANY SEEM TO THROW ALL OF THE RIGHT ADJECTIVES AT YOU - ‘AUTHENTIC’, ‘MODERN’, ‘FRAGRANT’ - RAMPING UP YOUR HOPES, ONLY FOR YOU TO SEE THOSE HOPES RAPIDLY DASHED BY A GREASY SPRING ROLL, OR WORSE STILL, AN APPARENTLY SPICY CURRY THAT FAILS TO EXCITE A SINGLE TASTE BUD. NOT SO AT THE GIGGLING SQUID – A CHAIN THAT’S NOW EXPANDED TO 32 RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND DELIVERS DISH AFTER DISH THAT’S PACKED WITH FLAVOUR. BY POLLY HUMPHRIS 98 The interior here gets a firm thumbs up for starters and is a look that’s shared by each restaurant; like a stamp of quality and authenticity. Think sleek dark wood flooring, hints of bamboo, deep green plants that add a sense of life while looking stylish, and soft lighting tucked away behind modern wall motifs made from wood in neutral shades. It looks Thai without screaming an identity at you, which is the welcome sign of a thoughtful interior as opposed to one that looks too dressed or, worse still, themed. broken down into individual Thai tapas, two-dish ‘combis’, ‘one big dish’ options and Thai tapas sets of four slightly smaller dishes served on one large plate, has always made me happy. My go-to order has always been Thai ‘old faithful’, the green curry, which is creamy with coconut milk, generous with vegetables and buzzing with classic Thai herbs and spices like lemongrass and galangal; it’s definitely the best Thai green curry I’ve tasted and isn’t shy with punchy chilli either. Before we move onto the actual starters, I should probably admit I’m a Giggling Squid devotee and have eaten at the Brighton-based restaurants (as well as Sevenoaks) weekly for years. The menu therefore, So, when I was asked to come and sample the new menu, my heart sank a little. Why change what isn’t broken, I thought? I’m happy to admit I was way off the mark. The lunchtime menu still sings with Thai classics such as chicken satay, spring rolls and Giggling Squid show-stopper, salt and pepper squid, which is an insanely delicious combination of soft, fresh squid encased in crunchy, salt-and-pepper tempura batter, but has been further enhanced by the addition of authentic dishes such as mah kwan pepper pork belly, which is made with a rare pepper that grows wild in Northern Thailand and has a distinct hint of mandarin about its flavour, and mushroom larb, a specialty from the Esan Province combining juicy mushrooms with a power-punch of mint, chilli and shallot. The evening menu has received quite the overhaul however, and absolutely not to its detriment. Carefully