Restaurant review: Thai Emerald, Evesham

Despite its impressive frontage, the Thai Emerald in Evesham could be easily overlooked. Heavy traffic hurtles past on the wide high-street and the restaurant is a little lost amongst the never-ending din of cars and lorries. But as a lover of Thai food it had long been on my list of places to go. We made our way there on a dreary Saturday afternoon in January.

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Potent magic takes place as you step over the threshold into the restaurant; Evesham is suddenly very, very far away. You’re transported to a soft and tropical place. With an abundance of wood and intriguing carvings from ceiling to floor you’ll feel compelled to stand for a moment, and just take it all in. You’ll head over a bridge with water, plants and fish below and you’ll wonder if perhaps you should have worn something a little smarter. It’s a beautiful and very surprising place.

Only a wretched soul could fail to be utterly charmed and captivated by the interior of the Thai Emerald, and perhaps this alone should make it worth a visit. But, whilst a well thought out interior is a must, when the food fails to match its standard it’s a miserable case of ‘style over content’ for me. I was nervous.

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The danger with Thai food is that, understandably, over time they have pandered to the British palate. Creating a hybrid of all eastern cooking whilst dumbing down the flavours to suit our unsophisticated desires. It’s taken me a long time to stop expecting a variation of a Chinese take away from the 1990’s. But my standards have risen, and I want really fresh, authentic Thai food.

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To start we ordered an Emerald Mixed Starter to share. I always head for a fishcake first, it’s a good gauge of taste and freshness. With the first bite I relaxed – fresh ingredients, freshly cooked with an authentic taste. Then silence ensued as we both savoured the platter. As we made our way through t we smiled and talked only a little, which to me, is the true measure of excellent food. Where the taste supersedes any need for conversation and honestly only the very best will compel me to stop talking.

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As ever, for my main course I ordered a Kaeng Khiaw Wan with prawns – Bangkok’s famous green curry. My other half ordered the Kaeng Daeng with chicken – a classic red curry. Again silence. Incredible freshness with well balanced, rich authentic flavours. For me I want to taste the coriander without being overwhelmed by it. Expectations surpassed; this was one of my best ever green curries. My other half expressed the same sentiment.

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I strongly urge you to book a table at the Thai Emerald. Their website states that they want to give you a unique experience that embraces all the senses, they do this and more. From the interior to the service to the food, the Thai Emerald is indeed a jewel. They have plenty of space and it’s an ideal place for a special occasion. I’ll see you there.

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Thai Emerald 

– Evesham, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Milton Keynes

https://www.thai-emerald.co.uk/

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