Thai Edge, Broad Quay: Review

A friend’s birthday celebrations called for a cheap bite to eat before the obligatory pub trip – somewhere that could accommodate a table of ten of us for an early evening meal on a Friday night, and was suitable for those on a budget. Thai Edge on Broad Quay always has a large sign outside advertising their £9.95 two course early evening deal and we’d heard positive things about the place, so the decision about the venue was made surprisingly quickly…

Part of a mini-chain of restaurants (there are also branches in Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds), Thai Edge is a smart yet relaxed venue. Decor is stylish and modern with a purple theme running through the restaurant, incorporated into everything from the lights as you enter the restaurant, to the napkins and the smart outfits worn by the serving staff.

I particularly fell in love with the lampshade above our table, which reminded me of spun sugar!

The menus with which we were presented were surprisingly extensive, considering we were there for an early evening deal. The vegetarian in our party seemed happy too – the majority of the dishes on the early evening menu can be ordered as a vegetarian meal, or alternatively with a variety of meats, chicken, prawns or mixed seafood.

As I normally do in Thai restaurants, I chose the chicken Tom Yam soup as my starter, presented in a smart white bowl on a stand. The portion size was perfect, with plenty of chicken and mushrooms and a decent amount of heat. Probably the best Tom Yam I’ve had in Bristol so far.

A bit of a niggle pre-main course when a dirty plate was set down in front of me…

…but this was replaced by a clean one with no fuss when it was pointed out. Two heaped bowls of rice were brought to the table for us all to share, and a steaming bowl of beef Mussuman curry appeared in front of me shortly afterwards…

First impression? A LOT of sauce. The curry was beautiful, though: huge slices of lovely, tender beef, soft and sweet pieces of onion, halved peanuts and melt-in-your-mouth chunks of potato which had developed an amazing intensity of flavour after being cooked in a coconut milk-based sauce, infused with the more Indian flavours of cardamom and tamarind.

We passed on dessert, already full from two courses plus a huge number of (free) Thai prawn crackers each before our food had arrived, but still had a look at the menu. All priced at £4.80, the majority of desserts listed appeared to be the standard fare for Oriental restaurants, but with the inclusion of fresh fruit platters and the traditional Thai coconut rice with mango.

A (cold) hot towel used and the bill paid, we left the restaurant to the accompaniment of a similarly polite and formal farewell from our hosts to the welcome that we had received when we arrived. Courteous service, lovely food, a great atmosphere and an absolute bargain of an early evening menu. I think – at least for now – this may be my new favourite Thai restaurant in Bristol…

Thai Edge

Website: http://www.thaiedge.co.uk/

Telephone: 0117 927 6088

Address: 7 Broad Quay, Bristol BS1 4DA

Find Thai Edge on the Bristol Bites Directory…