Benjarong Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in Howick

Second time myself and my partner have come here with friends. The first time went well, tasty food although on the pricy side. However we came again tonight and have had some issues in terms of allergens.

My partner specifically asked for no onion or mushrooms as they make her quite ill. And in the past this has been respected, the restaurant does have signage pointing to the importance of allergens and cross contamination.

Unfortunately around 1/3rd into her meal, she started finding mushrooms, and later onions. It was difficult to make out at first that there was mushrooms or onion due to it being a curry but at this point the damage has already been done.

Thankfully she is not anaphylactic, but is now spending a very painful evening and will most likely need to take the day off work tomorrow from the resulting migraine and stomach issues.

She decided not to bring it up to the staff, as there was nothing that could be done from that point, and isn't one to demand a free meal.

Aside from the issue with the food, the staff were very friendly and helpful and always made sure our water was full, and even clarified if we would like our entrees before or with our mains.

The restaurant was very clean and had a nice atmosphere and we will most likely return, as the food is tasty, but will be a lot more firm when ensuring the food is fine...

Won't be returning in a hurry. Way too hot soup when I asked for medium. Hotter than in local places in Thailand where my husband and I lived for years. It was really hard to eat, and I usually enjoy chilli. When I returned it the same soup reappeared, but a centermetre more full. Apparently they added a little bit more less hot soup to it. But there was no discernable difference. They argued, and wouldn't take it off the bill. Its supposed to be an upmarket place and prices reflect this so I don't understand why returning a simple soup that is not as described is such an issue. Disappointing as decor is nice and other dishes fine. Unusual to have this experience in a Thai restaurant! If you're unhappy with a dish here best not to say anything as the response may ruin the mood of...

I’ve been here twice now, and my second visit was undoubtedly disappointing. The waitstaff were incredibly rude and unprofessional. They walked around whispering things like “Do you need more water?” and when customers (understandably) didn’t hear them, they pulled judgemental faces and shrugged in a passive-aggressive way. It made the whole atmosphere really uncomfortable.

I came in a large group, and as someone who also works in hospitality, I understand that big tables can be stressful. But treating customers like an inconvenience is unacceptable. Even if the staff felt ignored or overlooked, that’s no excuse for such unkind and dismissive behaviour.

The actual shop was quite nicely decorated with cultural items. But after being treated such way, I definitely won’t be...