Thai Delights at the Giggling Squid, Stratford-Upon-Avon
The Man Bird and I have eaten at Giggling Squid in Maidstone (and loved it), so when we were visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon with Mummy Bird recently and saw there was one in the town, it was a no-brainer that we were going to eat there. As with the Kent venue, the colour scheme was one of a pale blue on the walls with lots of faux foliage and flowers draped around, and prints of flora and fauna hanging on the wall behind banquette seating.
This particular Giggling Squid is a single storey restaurant, and there was plenty of room to stow Mummy’s wheelchair. Bringing water over for the table, our lovely server got us sorted with drinks: pint of draught Cobra (£6.99) for His Nibs, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio (£28.95) for Mummy and I to share.
Having eaten a rather substantial breakfast, Mummy Bird decided to skip a starter, so it was just The Man and me for first courses. I ordered the Classic Papaya Salad (£8.99), fancying something a bit spicy, and His Nibs had the Caramelised Pork Belly (£9.50). For mains we all had dishes from the ‘showstoppers’ section of the menu: Chubby Cheek Pork for Mummy (£23), Samui Seafood for me (£21), and Lamb Shank Massaman for The Man (£24). We ordered a portion each of the Sticky Rice (£4.75) and the Tom Yum Fried Rice (£7) to accompany our meals.
Before long, some rather fab looking starters were placed before The Man and I – the aromas were intoxicating! My Papaya Salad certainly packed a fiery punch, and the presentation was fantastic. A wooden bowl was lined with crisp Lettuce leaves and then a deep layer of fresh, young Papaya, Carrot, Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Thai Red Chillies, Dried Shrimp and Roasted Peanuts packed the bowl. Spicy, crunchy, sweet and umami, this starter had everything your palate could dream of in it.
Cubes of sticky Belly Pork had been fried with Honey, Chilli, and Tamarind in the wok, and were served on a rectangular platter with a Pickled Ginger topping and a side garnish of shredded Peppers and Cabbage, and fresh Coriander. As with my starter, this one got the proverbial juices flowing with its fusion of sweet, earthy and sharp notes. Our server was most happy to be taking spotlessly clean plates and bowls back to the kitchen, and it wasn’t much of a wait until our mains and accompaniments were winging their way to us.
Mummy Bird was instantly smitten with her tender, juicy Pork Cheeks; the meat was paired with Coriander, Garlic and just the right amount of Cracked Pepper to infuse a subtle warmth throughout the dish. The Pork came with a Vegetable Relish comprised of super-thin ribbons of Carrot and Courgette, with a fancy garnish of carved Cucumber. I opened the pouch of Sticky Rice for Mummy and she loved its glutinous comforting feel; Sticky Rice is marvellous in any setting, but it went brilliantly with the Pork Cheeks here.
My Samui Seafood was magnificent…and plentiful! There was an abundance of Crispy Fried Squid, Sea Bass Fillets that were gorgeously soft, Garlic-marinated King Prawns, and fresh, in-shell Mussels that were lovely and meaty in texture. I loved the broth that they’d bathed in and the Thai Herbs and Crushed Peanuts added their own flavours to an already mouth-watering meal.
Giggling Squid do describe the Lamb Shank Massaman as needing to be ‘approached with a big appetite’, and they weren’t joking! A sizeable Lamb Shank sat proudly in the middle of a bowl, surrounded by a multitude of Potato halves, Carrots, and a Herb and Cashew mix; the most aromatic bit, though, was the intense Massaman Curry sauce. If you’ve never had this particular Curry before, the first thing you notice is the silky, creamy Coconut Milk; then this expands to include an injection of heat from dried Red Chillies and Lemongrass, followed with an umami wallop from Fish Sauce that is tempered nicely with a smidge of Palm Sugar. Garlic and Shallots waft in with their Allium tingle, with the result being a complex, twirling-over-your-tongue, irresistible sauce. Just superb!
Tom Yum Fried Rice is Giggling Squid’s Jasmine rice that’s been zhuzhed with zingy Lime, pungent Galangal and its Ginger-esque familiarity, Fiery Chilli and a generous splash of Soya Sauce. If I could only eat one rice dish for the rest of my life, this would be it!! The Rice itself was light and fluffy, the other elements mesmerisingly tasty and multi-layered.
As with our starters, there was an array of clean plates and bowls; testament to Chef’s skill, and our enjoyment of his labours. The Giggling Squid team asked if we’d like to see the dessert menu (which we did) and, after looking through the options, we all chose the ‘mini and hot drink combo’(£6.50). Mummy and I ordered the Mini Melting Heart Chocolate Dessert with Lattes; His Nibs selected the Mini Salted Caramel Souffle with Black Coffee.
The Man Bird was kicking himself as he spied the Chocolate Desserts – they really were a chocoholics dream! Ridiculously cocoa-heavy and wonderfully gooey, this was like a tiny version of a decadent Fondant and it hit the brains’ pleasure centre like William Tell hitting that apple. Paired with the rounded notes of a top-quality Vanilla Ice Cream, this concluded our meals perfectly.
I am glad to report that His Nibs’ despondency was short-lived when he took the first mouthful of his Salted Caramel Souffle. A pale golden morsel, the Souffle was topped with a textural crumb whose gentle ozonic tang tempered the sweeter side of this dessert. Even the coffees were fantastic, a perfect after dinner roast that cleansed the palate without being bitter.
Mummy Bird said that she’d thoroughly enjoyed her maiden trip to a Giggling Squid restaurant, and would very happily visit any of them – praise indeed! Hot Wings very happily given to this marvellous Stratford-Upon-Avon restaurant.
To book a table at the Stratford-Upon-Avon site call 01789 268733. The restaurant is open 7-days-a-week from Noon-10.30pm; delivery and takeaway times are the same as the restaurant. If you want to discover if there’s a Giggling Squid near you, visit www.gigglingsquid.com, scroll down to ‘our locations’ and select the one you want, then hit the ‘book’ button or ring them direct.
All Prices Correct At The Time Of Publishing
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