Anita Champaneri Writes About Local Thai Restaurants
This month marks the Thai festival of Loy Krathong. It’s one of the many traditional festivals of Thailand. It is an evening when Thais pay respect to the goddess of the waters by floating candlelit handcrafted rafts as offerings on all the waterways around their kingdom.
The word “Loy” literally means “to float” and “Krathong” means a raft. The rafts are intricately decorated with folded banana leaves, candles, flowers and incense sticks.
Loy Krathong is a very popular festival, because it’s so bright and colourful and the use of incense and candles makes it feels very spiritual.
As with any festival, the food is just as important! Thai food is as popular as ever in Birmingham, with a great selection of restaurants. I think Indians really like Thai cuisine because they do delicately spicy so well.
Sabai Sabai in Moseley are celebrating their 10th birthday this month whilst its sister restaurant Sabai Sabai Harborne will be marking Loy Krathong with a special Celebration Tasting Menu.
The Harborne venue is beautiful with floor to ceilings windows and chunky wooden furniture in a big but cosy space. Having sampled this seven course feast here, you will never have seen dishes from the Far East more elegantly presented, classically prepared or exquisitely flavoured than you do here.
Dishes include monkfish in green curry; lamb chops with garlic and peppercorn; seabass in spicy mango and apple sauce and roast duck in a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce. The menu is priced at £35 or £55 to include six wine flights.
Our Top Thai Picks
Chaophraya in Bullring’s Spiceal Street is set over two floors with an extensive outdoor terrace and a flashy Thai inspired interior. They offer a wonderful selection of authentic dishes prepared in an open kitchen. If you like your restaurants big, bright and sparkly, you’ll love this place.
Thai Edge in Brindleyplace is hugely successful and popular for their authentic Thai cuisine and friendly service. The menu is vast and the portions are plentiful and I always have the prawn and tom yam soup which is the perfect winter warmer.
