What
To mark the traditional New Year’s celebration of Songkran — which falls annually on April 13 — Jumeirah’s award-winning signature Thai restaurant has cooked up a special, limited-edition menu. Served “family style” for groups of two or more, the three-course feast features a mix of chef Aphichat Amatmontri’s favourites, as well as some fresh twists, and is only available until April 23 at a cost of Dh280 per person.
The atmosphere
Pai Thai boasts a twinkly, waterside spot amid Madinat Jumeirah’s quaint network of canals. The USP here might be the recommended route to the restaurant via a romantic abra ride, from the ground floor of the Al Qasr, although our idyllic entry was slightly stymied by some rush-hour traffic colluding to create a 15-minute wait for a boat. After dinner we chose to return on foot — and found it no more than a two-minute walk back to the hotel lobby.
Making the most of its vista, as part of the Songkran festivities there is an hourly one-woman dance show, which takes place from a passing boat. At other times traditional Thai music chimes chillaxingly on, mixing with the combined murmur of a restaurant which appeared close to capacity on a Saturday night.
The food
Things began with a trio of starters, of which the standout was the fresh, tangy goong yang yam ma-muang salad, which paired three chunky prawns with sheets of sharp, sour mango, balanced out with coriander, lime and cashews.
Served inside pandan leaf, the marinated chicken (gai hor bai toey) had a chewy texture and sweet, BBQ-esque glaze. The all-new crab dumpling — phan sib sai poo — had the slimy texture of Chinese cheung feung, served with sweet soya sauce.
Of the four mains, the pla nung ma now steamed sea bass — soft, fresh, served in a light lime sauced with a kick of garlic and chilli — was an easy winner, followed by the excellent beef red curry (gaeng panang nuea yang), with the incredibly tender beef counterpointed with whole lychees swimming in the rich, creamy sauce.
The charcoal grilled baby chicken (gai yang sa moon pai) was rather tough in texture, and very similar to taste and concept to the starter, which seemed a wasted opportunity, while the tao hoo phad med ma muang dish of tofu and capsicum was a little sweet and undemanding. Also included is some garlicky fried asparagus (phad nor may far rang) and steamed jasmine rice (or, if you prefer a tongue-twister, khao suay).
The traditional tap tim krob dessert — an iced soup-like bowl of coconut milk and water chestnut — was a slightly forgettable way to close the evening. Not least because my fellow diner’s arrived a good five minutes before mine — creating one of those awkward “do I start?” moments — which was just the greatest error in an evening during which the service can only otherwise be described as patchy.
Who is it for?
The waterside terrace, touristic abra ride — and excellent food — make this one an ideal choice for date night.
The verdict
If you’ve ever wanted to try out Pai Thai but have been putting it off, this well-rounded, fairly priced special menu should be all the incentive you need to pick up the phone.
Bottom line
The Songkran menu is available until April 23 at a cost of Dh280 per person. Pai Thai is open from 6pm Sunday-Thursday, 6.30pm Friday-Saturday, at Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah (reservations 04 432 3232 or Restaurants@jumeirah.com), www.jumeirah.com.
The National was a guest of the restaurant.
rgarratt@thenational.ae