Hey Guys,
Now, before I start with this mouth-watering post, I feel like I need to state some kind of disclaimer.
This post is likely to:
a. Induce hunger or...
b. Induce sudden cravings for Thai food or (most probably)...
Right, with those formalities out of the way, lets get into it...!
Last week, I was kindly invited to (what would become) one of my favourite dining experiences ever...
"Using the very finest ingredients sourced from the best suppliers, both locally and abroad, the restaurant serves genuine Thai dishes from each of the four main culinary regions: rich and mild dishes from the north, spicy food from the east, mild dishes influenced by the Chinese cooking style from the central region, and hot and spicy food from the south."
Mango Tree is an award-winning Thai restaurant, originating in Bangkok. There are now Mango Tree locations all over the world, including two in London- in Belgravia and a concession in Harrods Food Court.
I took along my friend Shermin as a belated birthday treat, and together, we were transported across the globe for an evening of culinary indulgence.
We were warmly welcomed into the Harrods branch with a glass of sweet Flowering Hibiscus Champagne (flower included!) :
Our wonderful host Joy met with us to take our order for starters. She was brilliant at recommending things to try and knowing what my friend Shermin could have- (Shermin is vegan).
Starters
Shermin's Starters-
Starters
Shermin's Starters-
Yam Bean Vegetarian Dim Sum (3 pieces)
Mixed Mushroom and Vegetable Spring Rolls (3 pieces)
Eboni's Starters-
Lobster Popcorn with Spicy Mayo
Prawn and White Truffle oil Dim Sum (3 pieces)
Aromatic Duck and Cucumber Spring rolls (2 pieces)
Vegetarian Spring rolls
Lobster Popcorn
This was actually recommended by another blogger who had reviewed Mango Tree. I loved the sound of them so definitely had to try!
Think- classy scampi! These battered and fried lobster balls are the perfect indulgent savory starter. For those who would usually reach for battered calamari or breaded mushrooms etc, this is a winning dish!
The taste is not strong or fishy. The taste of the lobster and its crispy shell are perfectly married with a mildly spicy drizzling of mayonnaise.
Yam Bean Vegetarian Dim Sum
Both Shermin and I thoroughly enjoyed the Dim Sum. I am a hard core dim sum-lover already, so it didn't take much to convince me to order these delicious bites. If you are a fish-eater I highly recommend the prawn dim sum. They were packed tightly with lots of prawn meat and tasted incredible. I wish someone had a camera to capture my face when I first bit into one of those bad boys! - DELICIOUS!
Aromatic Duck and Cucumber Spring rolls
Who doesn't love a good spring roll when it comes to Asian cuisine? These duck rolls were reminiscent of a Chinese duck pancake (filled with cucumbers with a side of plum sauce). However, I really preferred these- crispy and fried.
This is my fool-proof starter.
Main Course
Shermin's Main-
Gaeng phed ped yang pon la mai
(made vegan- just vegetables and no oyster sauce)
Steamed Jasmine rice
Steamed choi sum
Eboni's Main-
Chu chee goong (grilled king prawn with Thai chu chee curry sauce)
Egg fried rice
Thai prawn crackers
Chu chee goong
This prawn curry was absolutely delicious. It was made in a red Thai sauce that had that authentic Thai curry taste we know and love. No overpowering spice, but still filled with flavour and warmth. The prawns were huge and juicy - just how I like them! ; )
I could have eaten more of the sauce; it was great to drizzle on my egg fried rice!
Gaeng phed ped yang pon la mai
Shermin's vegan Gaeng phed ped yang pon la mai looked stunning, served in a fresh pineapple! A medley of beautifully cooked vegetables served in a tasty sauce. Shermin paired her dish with some jasmine rice. It was so kind of the chef to agree to make this vegan friendly- they were very accommodating of dietary requirements.
"The team at Mango Tree is committed to offering customers a wonderful dining experience with a taste of warm Thai hospitality."
I couldn't agree more with this statement from the Mango Tree website. Not only were the staff super kind, helpful and lovely, but even the chefs were able to change the menu to accommodate a vegan diner without hesitation!
I would recommend Mango Tree as a place for a celebratory/ special meal with a significant other. There is something so special about Mango Tree that would be best experienced on those rare occasions.
If this didn't make me want to go to Thailand, I don't know what will!
(hint: it did make me want to go... really, really bad!!)
Thank you to Mango Tree, Harrods for having us and doing such a wonderful job!
Have to ever tried Thai food? Have you been to Mango Tree?
Eb x
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