Zaap Thai: I tried the Leeds city centre street food staple complete with tuk-tuk, atmosphere and a riot of flavour
On one of the warmest nights of the year, all you really fancy to eat is a salad, right?
Nah, not a chance – give me a full-on spicy Thai stir fry any day. And one of the best I’ve ever encountered was courtesy of Zaap Thai in the city centre.
There is a branch in Headingley as well but we headed out in shorts and T-shirts to the buzzing Vicar Lane venue.
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The brand – which began here and has since branched out into several cities including Durham and Nottingham – promises to bring authentic Thai street food, served in the atmosphere of a Bangkok market.
It’s some years now since we were in the Thai capital but one look around Zaap Thai and we were transported straight back there.
The first thing you notice when you walk in is the tuk-tuk; the second thing is the vibrant atmosphere. There was an eclectic mix of customers when we visited, from large Thai family groups to couples, lone diners and shoppers enjoying a bit of supper.
There’s a policy of no bookings, which had me worried we wouldn’t get a table, but it was actually quite liberating – service is fast and friendly so turnover can be speedy although you’re never rushed.
The menu is frankly enormous with all the usual suspects plus a good deal more. Vegetarians and vegans can opt for either tofu, mock chicken or plant-based prawns in their dishes.
My guest opted to start with a gai satay – three generous skewers of gilled chicken with a rich peanut sauce. He was, in his words, “absolutely Hank Marvin” and was thrilled they arrived swiftly, as did my crisp vegetable gyozas.
These lip-smacking parcels of crisp delight were accompanied by a sweet chilli sauce – no the almost fluorescent kind you’re so often presented with but one with real depth of flavour.
In truth, the starters merely set the scene for the main courses. When they arrived they were an absolute riot of colour and flavour.
My guest had plumped for the pad Thai as he’d never tried it before. He had it with beef, which practically covered the entire dish, and it was a wonderful take on the classic. Oodles of stir fried rice noodles with egg, spring onions, a generous helping of tofu – as well as the beef – and garnished with peanuts.
Often it’s the little touches that make a big difference and in this case, the delicately carved carrots transported me straight back to the Khao San Road. My pad nam prik pao tofu – stir fried tofu with chilli oil, vegetables and basil – was the most glorious colour and arrived with a mound of jasmine rice.
The fresh herbs made the whole dish sing, the Thai basil lending a glorious undercurrent of aniseed.
The staff are lovely, the bill was a shade under £50 for two and you can even give instant feedback via a little iPad.
Oh and out of interest, salad was also on the menu and it looked incredible, with heaps of spicy papaya and peanuts – maybe next time.
Fact file
Zaap Thai, Vicar Lane, Leeds
Tel 0113 243 2586
Open: Mon-Thu noon to 10pm, Fri-Sat noon to 11pm, Sun noon to 9pm.
Food: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Service: 9
Value: 9
Overall: 9.5