Giggling Squid review: I tried this delicious new Thai tapas restaurant chain in a former Leeds city centre bank
For good reason Thai food has quickly become among my favourite cuisines recently.
As we get older and start to value our health and appreciate the simpler things in life more, the combination of zesty, aromatic flavours and fresh, heartfelt ingredients make Thai food a welcome deviation from the delightful indulgence of an Italian feast or a hefty curry.
So I was thrilled to get the chance to try out the latest Leeds restaurant to be serving Thai food in the form of Giggling Squid, which opened in April.
And while there was a few factors that left something to be desired, there’s no escaping that the food at the Park Row restaurant makes it a refreshing addition to the Leeds food scene.
Set up in Brighton in 2002 by married duo Pranee and Andy Laurillard, Giggling Squid has since gone on to become firmly established in the south of the country and is now itching its way into the north through openings in Leeds, Harrogate and York.
Set inside in the grand setting of the former Royal Bank of Scotland building, the interior was designed by Pranee and delivers on its promise of offering a “bold and opulent” experience, with the floral wallpaper, banquette seating and dazzling lighting being a far cry from the street-food like intimacy of the likes of Mummy Thai and Zaap.
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After being welcomed we were sat cosily in the corner and flicked through a menu of starters and mains that doesn’t quite scream ‘Thai Tapas’ like the billing suggests.
There were few grumbles when the food came though.
After some serious deliberation over what we’d have we started things off with the street food selection (£19.25), which gave us a tapas-like fill in four delicious offerings of Thai delight.
The pork skewers were tender and perfectly seasoned, while the salt and pepper squid was sensational with its light, crispy batter. The veggie spring rolls and chicken wings, which had a sweet and sticky glaze, were equally delectable and it all went down effortlessly, with the accompanying sauces giving it extra intrigue.
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It was a filling way to start things off and made getting through our mains pretty hard going, despite the high quality of the dishes being maintained.
Me and my friend shared the vegetable Thai green curry (£13.99) and the chilli and basil stir fry with slow cooked beef (£14.99) alongside a beautiful serving of Tom Yum Fried Rice (£4.90), which added some subtle but impacting lime and jasmine flavour to the mix.
The curry was rich and creamy and the tofu, veg and Thai basil filled it with vibrant goodness, while the stir fry had a fiery kick that couldn’t prevent the melting beef, which practically falls apart upon contact, stealing the show.
Washed down with a pineapple, banana and lime smoothie from the varied drink menu to keep the health kick going, the total of £66.14 felt pretty high but with the rising costs and Giggling Thai’s fitting state as somewhere to impress, it’s par for the course.
Factfile
Address: Giggling Squid, 27 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5QB
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday: 12pm to 10.30pm
Scores
Food: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10
Service: 7/10