What a treat, visiting Studio Thai in Newbury with the gorgeous Waheeda as my dining companion. Now, dear reader, you may know my love of things Thai, I go there for my annual holiday and love every minute. I do try other places but invariably I end up sitting there grumpily wondering why on earth I didnt go back to Koh Samui for a fantastic relaxing holiday. The food is a major reason that we keep returning to the lovely Thailand so it was a joy to visit Studio Thai and have all my holiday taste buds revitalised. Wow. So good. Sue comes from the Bangkok area and has been cooking Thai food in Newbury for a number of years and Sachin is her business partner, both thoroughly good eggs and delightful hosts.
The restaurant is lovely, lots of wood and carvings, it really did look like an authentic Thai restaurant, in fact with the aromas of food being prepared it smelt like an authentic Thai restaurant too, in a very good way.
Guess who, if I say luscious then you say Waheeda!!
I have been utterly noble by posting this picture of the lovely Waheeda with what looks like a ropey washed out old bag. Note to self…. only sit next to even more hideous creatures in future. Sigh.
Wonderful little home made spring rolls. Normally wherever you go the spring rolls are uniform, these are made on the premises and have that wonderful home made charm which adds to the fantastic flavour. They came with a home made chilli sauce that packed a punch but didnt knock you to the ground and punch your lights out.
I have to admit that although my daugher, Rachel, could eat satay for every meal it has never been a favourite of mine, I have always thought it a bit ‘meh’. However this dish has changed my mind, the chicken was moist and the satay sauce was unlike any I have had before, it was fresh, you could see the chopped nuts and taste the crunchiness, in fact it was all I could do to stop taking a spoon to the sauce and eating it like a soup.
This was my pork stir fry Kao Pad Sab Pa Rod which was really tasty, there were different levels of flavour and a low level of heat and they all tied together beautifully. The vegetables had a bit of crunch and the meat wasn’t dried out, all in all very well cooked.
This was Waheeda’s Pad Gra Prao which was a street dish of prawns stir fried with chopped chilli, garlic and holy basil. Hotter than my pork but just as tasty.
This is Sue who comes from Bangkok and has been cooking Thai food for ever. She also does fruit carving (photo below) and offers both cookery lessons and fruit carving lessons for individuals or groups. What a great present that would make! She can be contacted on 07733303355.
Sachin, Sues enthusiastic and industrious business partner, charming and attentive. While I was chatting to Sachin I heard a couple of voice around the corner. It was a couple of very loyal customers from my neck of the woods who had followed Studio Thai on its journey through Newbury. They were vegetarian and loved the fact that you could choose virtually any dish on the menu and ask for a substitution of tofu or indeed any other meat or fish to make the dish your own. How cool is that?
An example of the fruit carving that you could do if you had a lesson with Sue!
Finally, is this Elton John’s typewriter? Please pass this on to Sir Elton and we will find out!!
Leila's Local Larder 