Not a first date, maybe. It’s in Otahuhu, you see, and no matter how liberal your dinner buddy, you may find them giving you the panic eyes and fumbling for the handbag taser if you take them south of Balmoral Road without warning.
But let’s say you’re on the fourth or fifth date, you’ve already done movies, walking up Mt Eden, DVD-followed-by-awkward-move-to-bedroom night and you’re looking for a way of showing that you really were listening when she told you about her OE. If she went to Thailand, then you should take her to Secret Thai Garden – a restaurant which will bring those memories of careless holiday flings with British backpackers who are better looking than you flooding back. You’re welcome!
Secret Thai Garden looks, smells, sounds and feels just like a Thailand restaurant because, well, because they pretty much just grabbed one and shipped it over in tact. You enter through a gate in an unassuming backstreet fence then wander past water features, bridges and ornamental buddhas before arriving in an open garden. Almost all of the tables feel like they’re outside, but in fact ours was the only one exposed to the weather. This is how I learnt that you need to book ahead.
We went for the set menu and although it would tie things up nicely if the food had been spectacular too, unfortunately it was not all that flash. Still I’m going to optimistically put that down to bad ordering. I hope you have better luck: Anna Burns Francis says she always does, and if you can’t trust a Radio Live journalist then who can you trust? (not being ironic)
I’ve had pretty disappointing Thai food almost everywhere in Auckland, but I’ve always enjoyed Mekong Neua in Kingsland and, sporadically, Thai Classic on Ponsonby Road. The stalls selling homemade Thai at Avondale market are awesome too. Anywhere else decent you can tell me about? Look! It’s a new ‘Comments’ section. How exciting!
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...We've always enjoyed Grasshopper in the Stamford Plaza, or Zap! Thai for takeaways...??
ReplyDeleteI second Mekong Neua recommendation. However a big NO to Zap Thai, at least the one on Dominion Rd. We've been there twice and came away really disappointed both times.
ReplyDeleteGood to know! There was a Zap Thai in Queen Street with a good reputation ...
ReplyDeleteHi Jesse, I agree with your findings on Secret Thai Garden - go there for the atmosphere, not so much the food. It's just not spectacular food; again, not enough fresh herbs and spices (my most common complaint of many a Thai joint here). Any one of the Zap chain is reliably good, and I've heard there's a new Zap set to open in Pt Chev soon. Mekong Neua boasts that extra bonus, in my husband's eyes, of unlimited steamed rice being offered! Word to most Thai Restaurants in town though - please start a herb garden out the back of your kitchen and be generous with that basil!
ReplyDeletewe are luckier in wellington re the fresh herbs as there is this great thai chick who grows it for all the restaurants here. So Sorry Aucks but we beat you on this one. It is really really hard to find a crap Thai joint in the capital.
ReplyDeleteI've been very disappointed with Thai food options in Auckland however Zap in Commerce St in the CBD was a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteFresh spices, intense flavours and authentic Thai dishes.
However, if you expect the Bangkok Thai food that's served up to the Tourists or worse still, Kiwi Thai which the vast majority of 'Thai' restaurants serve up then you'd best look elsewhere.
The easiest way to tell if you've been served Kiwi Thai? The sauce is the consistency of dishwater, due to the overuse of Coconut cream, coupled with only a hint of flavour.
Jungle Flavor Thai behind the KFC by the intersection of Dominion and Balmoral is consistently awesome.
ReplyDeleteNice one William, cheers!
ReplyDeleteLove Thai :) like the blog:)
ReplyDeleteReally miss the old Thai Palace on Ponsonby Rd- craving their Thai green chilli prawns, raw prawns coated in minced green chilli, delicious,does anywhere else do them?
ReplyDeleteHey Jesse, cool to find your blog. Just saw you in the HoS and thought... that's the Tio Pepe guy! (I used to be a drinks columnist in the UK - we had lunch at Moro one day with Jeremy Rocket - ah, those were the days). Alas now I am exiled to Wellington. Good Thai isn't that easy to find there either, but the excellent Malaysian options make up for that. Good luck with fatherhood!
ReplyDeleteHey Lucy, yes I remember - good lunch! I like the pink Kitchenaid ... matches the one I got my missus for her 30th last year. Nice to hear you're back, let me know if you get up this way at all okay?
ReplyDeleteThe ladyboy who owns Tom Yum Gong at St Heliers runs a great establishment with very good food. Her husband chefs for her, but if you ask her nicely she will make a curry for you if she is not too busy (Red duck curry is super). WARNING. Don't be cheeky or she will give you a slap on the face. Come to think of it, she just likes to slap her regular customers regardless! A true Thai experience!
ReplyDeletesecret thai garden is one of my top rated thai palces in auckland...some nights the food is great sometimes is average.just like the real thailand!
ReplyDeleteI'm awfully late to all this but I think the problem is you're not travelling far enough west. Khob Khun is fabulous but given it's not even in the phone book and barely on google, I have no idea how they make a living. Never eat in, as it's freezing and draughty and there are only two tables. Try the Larb Gai or the Choo Chee Gai, take away and go visit a friend? Also Lai Thai is really good in New Lynn. Eating in there works.
ReplyDeleteThanks Fiona, that's great stuff. Where is Khob Khun exactly?
ReplyDeleteGlengarry Road, in the dark heart of Glen Eden, next to a diary that appears to sell nothing but fish bait and dog food. There are two Thai takeaways on this street - this is the better one although Pad Thai (the other) does a mean, er pad thai.
ReplyDeleteDairy. Not diary.
ReplyDelete