233. Sabai Sabai Stratford Upon Avon

 

It’s Mothers Day in Stratford upon Avon and the huddled masses are out and about in town, with their mothers, on a pretty fine day. Aware that it was probably going to be difficult to make a fairly late reservation for dinner at the restaurants of my choice, and a consultation of their booking sites confirming my fears. I suddenly thought of Sabai Sabai and became mildly enthusiastic about revisiting Thai food though anxious about dining in a chain restaurant. Let’s be honest, can a chain restaurant have a true soul? Lets’s find out.

  Stratford’s Sabai Sabai is quite a large restaurant and it was full of young families giving their young mothers a rest for a change (or perhaps they never eat at home on Sundays, I don’t know). It wasn’t going to be a quiet dinner with exuberant squealing infants scattered around the place and a very loud-mouthed young father sitting at the table next to me though fortunately that gentleman was paying his bill midway through my starter and had cleared off by the end of it.

  What could one do but order a double Monkey 47 and be impressed that the restaurant had Monkey 47 on its drinks list? As the Monkey entered the bloodstream everything became very tranquil and I could sit back and enjoy what was to come.

  I started off with a large duck crispy spring roll with a sweet dip. Nothing too remarkable and the salad garnish was notably undistinguished but the spring roll was thoroughly edible and, in truth, enjoyable.

  I couldn’t resist having a massaman beef curry with coconut rice for my main course. This was very generously portioned (enough to provide a takeaway meal the next day). The beef was tender if slightly dry but the sauce was tasty and I liked the little garnish of crispy fried onions. The rice was perfectly cooked and tasty. I should have liked a little more sweetness in the dish but I certainly enjoyed it.

  Dessert was a very fine and wobbly coconut panna cotta, the flavour of the coconut coming through well, with raspberry sauce slices of pleasingly tasty strawberry.

  I was very impressed by the busy front of house staff who quietly but politely and helpfully got on with their work amidst the hubbub.

  I stepped out into the darkening evening and concluded that this had been an enjoyable meal. If I fancy a Thai meal when I’m in Stratford in the future then I shall happily reappear at Sabai Sabai.