Giggling Squid
It is rare that we go out for dinner. We have a kitchen full of gadgets to help with cooking and if we can’t be bothered to use them, then we generally have a takeaway. So when Giggling Squid asked if we would like to find out more about their restaurant we jumped at the chance.
There are a number of the restaurants around the country and we are lucky enough to have one just down the road in Farnham. They pride themselves on “staggeringly good Thai Food” and in particular, tapas. Now I have to admit that I wouldn’t necessarily think of Thai food when thinking of Tapas, but would generally concentrate more on Mediterranean cuisine, which is a real shame as Thai food works perfectly. Punchy flavours in small bowls is the ideal food to share with friends and family
Which is why Giggling Squid have just launched a new children’s menu. Two plates of food for just £5.95 and it includes things such as spring rolls, pork dumplings and chicken fried rice. Such a great idea and it makes a real change from the usual offering on a kids menu of chicken nuggets and chips, don’t you think? I would definitely have been bring my kids here for lunch if it had been around when they were young.
This is what the restaurant says about it in their latest press release:
A break from the norm at child-friendly Giggling Squid
This April, Giggling Squid, the popular and innovative family of Thai restaurants, will launch a brand new ‘Little Tapas for Little People’ menu.
For just £5.95, kids get to choose two dishes from a selection of Giggling Squid favourites, from mild curries and noodles to rice dishes and finger food – perfect for the littlest of hands.
Think mild lamb Massaman curry or tender strips of sirloin steak with pork dumplings and spring rolls, or chicken satay with peanut sauce and a choice of pad Thai. Unlimited plain or sticky rice is available upon request.
For an additional £2, a roti (a pancake to the kids) served with a dash of condensed milk and a sprinkling of sugar or two scoops of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream are delicious sweet treats.
Children of all ages will enjoy the match the picture game and colouring in ‘Sammy the Spring Roll’ and other characters. Little Picassos even have the opportunity to win a family meal for four.
Pranee Laurillard, owner and mum-of-three devised the menu to inspire kids to be more open minded with their food choices. With memories of her own childhood and what she cooks for her own children, she wants to encourage children to try something new.
Pranee Laurillard: As a mum myself, I love encouraging my kids to experiment with new dishes and ingredients. Hopefully they’ll be more open to a wider choice of food and cuisines when they grow up.
So we followed Pranee’s lead and decided to experiment too: we asked the waiter to choose for us. To either bring us dishes he liked, or that he thought we should try, or maybe even the ones the chef liked to cook best. We didn’t really mind, we just wanted to see what they had on offer. And for me that meant going off plan a bit. I tend to stick to the things I know and love when it comes to food from the far east. And that means never having fish, because, well because I am not a fan.
Which would have been a big mistake as the dish above was brought to us and would definitely have been something I would have avoided. A whole seabass, served on its tail with peanut, fresh chilli, shallots, limes, lemongrass and ginger. It was absolutely gorgeous. Seriously. One of the best things I have ever eaten. Mr B and I both said we could have demolished one each.
Along with this:
Lamb shank massamam curry. Now lamb is something else I will never pick off a menu. I don’t often like lamb, it needs to be cooked for a long time for me to like it. You know when it gets to that melt in the mouth stage? That. That is the only lamb I like and therefore wouldn’t choose it on a menu but I am so glad our waiter did pick it. It was heavenly. And I could have eaten that sauce with a spoon at the end, if it wasn’t trying to be polite.
Pad Thai however, now that IS something I would order and have tried quite a lot, even attempting to make it at home. Not anymore. This was the best I have ever had and if I ever fancy it again I am going to grab this as a takeaway:
We seriously loved the food on offer, and would definitely recommend it to friends, or families that want something a bit different for their children.
And will also be asking the waiter to choose for us in new restaurants too! I quite like the idea of seeing what turns up.
Just as long as the results are as good as these!
We were given dinner for two in return for this review, choosing to take friends with us who paid in full.