Thai Sarocha — Restaurant in England

This place got me thinking a little more than usual. Firstly it was busy on a mid week night and people were coming in for take aways. That is a good sign. It's notable that this place is expensive. Perhaps twenty percent more than other places of this type. Service was a little slow, but they were busy. I had the dim sum starter. Now bearing in mind it was £6.50 for four small pieces. Beautifully presented, the accompanying sauce in a ladle was superb. These are often accompanied by a plain vinegar . This was a dark rich sweet and vinegary sauce ,with hints of toffee. Delicious. The main was Tamarind Duck. Again beautiful. A very sweet dish if you have never tried it. Not that big ,after you remove the fat. I ordered a coconut rice to accompany it. Not very large. But tasty. The diet coke seemed small. A certain theme here ? I think the little touches dropped it down in my score. No chopsticks offered. No free prawn crackers while I waited for my food. Speed of food delivery was good. I finished with steamed banana in coconut milk which was tasty. So I couldn't quite give it a five. There is certainly nothing wrong with the food , portion sizes up and prices...

Nice atmosphere (very nice decorations for sure), and very good food (though pricey for certain plates). However do NOT attempt to go with babies, toddlers or small children. The staff was not friendly towards us as a family at all. Also there is no children’s menu and they only have one high chair for the whole place. It’s such a shame because the space and the food would definitely suit a family-type place (there are step free areas of the restaurant and some good space to leave a pram when needed). Without a children’s menu we ended up spending so much more than what we budgeted to get a steamed fish option that would be suitable to our toddler - but of course the portion was huge for her. It really feels like they don’t really want families in there. From the moment we set foot in the restaurant we were treated with such indifference - it was visible that the staff did not care about us or the children at all and all they wanted was to get us out asap. Too bad. We won’t be back. Also they made us pay for the containers we needed to use to not waste our...

How it is that this establishment does not command a perfect five stars eludes me entirely. I found myself, for but an hour, utterly entranced by a parade of culinary delights. Every bite was a symphony of flavours, each more exquisite than the last, evoking sensations akin to a joyous dance upon my palate. From the enticing array of starters—the platter and the grilled squid standing out in particular—to the main courses and desserts, all were rendered with the hand of a true artisan.

It is rare, indeed, to encounter a meal in which every dish sings with such brilliance, without a single note of mediocrity. Yet, here, I experienced just that—a testament to the profound mastery and passion behind the cuisine. I feel privileged to have partaken in this gastronomic triumph, and without hesitation, I shall return to once again savour this labour of love. My deepest thanks to the kitchen, whose artful creations will not soon...