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The Dinner Detective

1/12/2006

Unlike restaurant reviewers in some newspapers, the Dinner Detective eats out incognito and always pays for his meal. That way, the Dinner Detective gets the same treatment as the readers, giving an honest review of the service you might receive.

Chaophraya, Cavendish House, Pall Mall, Manchester, M2 1HN

Tel: 0161 832 8342

E-mail info@chaophraya . co.uk

Website: www.chaophraya.co.uk

Open: Noon until 5pm for lunch and 5pm until 10.30pm for dinner

ONE great gastronomic unfairness is how undervalued Thai cuisine is. Falling between the two Asian behemoths of Chinese and Indian, it has struggled to achieve the stature it deserves.

Even after 15 or so years of package holidays to the land of smiles, there has been no overwhelming clamour from paying customers to revisit the menus they enjoyed in Chang Mai or Koi Samui.

Manchester's Thai food devotees have had to satisfy themselves with a few well-worn favourite restaurants or chance their arm at the new "Pan-Asian" breed of eateries. But no more, with the opening of Chaophraya, in Pall Mall, above Sam's Chop House.

From the 3ft-tall snarling stone lions outside the front door, through the incense heating next to a petal-strewn fountain, the golden costumes of the waiting-on staff and film show of traditional dance flickering on the stairway wall, you know you are in for a genuine Thai evening.

The Chaophraya is the country's watery artery and this new Manchester restaurant is authentic enough to grace the banks of the river as it winds though the plushest parts of Bangkok.

Décor is understated Thai and thankfully doesn't have nasty price tags hanging from the artefacts like the Jim Thompson's House chain that had a presence behind Kendals a few years ago.

Like in Thailand, service is exemplary: efficient, attentive, dignified and genuinely cheerful; and the long and varied menu has a goodly selection for vegetarians as well as soups, salads and reasonably-priced main courses.

We had mixed appetizers for two (£6 each) and a plate of Ka Nom Pung Nha Gu (£6) to start. The selection included terrific tiger prawns in crispy batter, chicken satay, spring roll and fish cakes, all in dips including sweet chilli and peanut.

On the extra plate were chunks of deep fried bread topped with a very thick covering of minced king prawn. Only a heathen would call it prawn toast. It was sublime.

Then, across the table came a braised leg of lamb in Thai herbs and spices (Ka Gae Op Palow, £13). A thick sauce clothed the large, rich hunk of tender meat.

However, it was my sea bass choo chee which stole the night.

At £12, I'd be surprised if the sea bass wasn't farmed (as most are nowadays) but the whole fillet was expertly cooked in a wonderfully delicate curry; the red chilli cutting a fine swathe through the white sea of the coconut milk and green islands of the lime leaves.

This all came with sticky rice in a banana envelope and coconut rice (£2.80 and £3). We also greedily shared a Thai standard, an unspectacular Pad Thai (noodles, chicken and veggies) for £8.

The only disappointment was the dessert menu. Chaophraya opened its original Leeds restaurant a few years ago and, apart from slightly inflating the prices on branching out across the Pennines, the exotic fruit on offer over there (the Rambutan being a particular favourite of mine) has not made the journey to Manchester.

So we indulged in the chocolate and coconut versions of deep fried ice cream (£4.50 each). Looking not unlike huge Scotch eggs, but tasting considerably better, they came in portions so large we couldn't finish them.

The wine list is lengthy and reasonably priced with a helpful guide to choice with spicy food. With a few drinks adding an extra tenner and two bottles of water (£2.30 each - ouch!) we paid £82.85.

Not a bad price for being transported back to Phuket Town for an evening and a lavish meal so authentic I half expected a battered yellow tuk-tuk to be waiting for me as I patted the lion's head on the way out.