Let’s Do Lunch! Pad Thai, West Malling
West Malling has a beautiful Country Park where Helen, Hazel and I often enjoy a walking lunch but, faced with a torrential downpour, we wandered down instead to Pad Thai Restaurant in the High Street.
The restaurant is particularly popular in the evenings but also open on Thursdays and Saturdays for lunch from 12 to 2.30pm. It’s one of the few Thai restaurants awarded the prestigious Thai Select Premium award and high standards are maintained by proprietor, Manta, who is passionate about her ingredients and Thai cuisine. We had some delicious appetizers including crisp prawn and chicken on toast, crunchy deep fried vegetable spring rolls, and prawns in a blanket – all accompanied by tangy sauces.
We then all chose a main course and shared them – a spicy prawn red curry with lemon grass and lime leaves, a tilapia fish fillet with fresh chilli, garlic and Thai basil, and prawns with baby corn and mushrooms. These were accompanied by fabulous fried rice with pineapple, egg and prawns and fried pad Thai noodles.
It was very relaxing to sit and chat for a few hours whilst enjoying the amazing flavours. We don’t usually have dessert, but Helen and I couldn’t resist the banana fritters whilst Hazel was won over by Manta’s description of homemade Kanom Tuoy – a steamed Thai coconut dessert made with tapioca and rice flour mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar.
We’re already looking forward to our next visit.
Pad Thai Restaurant
15 High Street, West Malling, ME19 6QH
01732 870000
https://www.pad-thai.co.uk