Since hearing about Chaophraya opening in the new Greys Quarter in Newcastle I have been looking forward to trying out this Thai restaurant. I was certainly not disappointed. It was a fabulous meal in stylish and sophisticated surroundings. Having visited Celebrity Chef Omar Allibhoy’s Tapas Revolution the previous week. I was excited to see what was in store for the Thai chapter of this multi-cultural dining destination.
With restaurants in Leeds, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. Newcastle is the latest and luckiest city to be on the Chaophraya map. It is pronounced Chow-pry-a just in case you are wondering.
Greys Quarter intu Eldon Square
The restaurant is the cornerstone of the new Greys Quarter eateries holding prime anchor spot built in the dome. Boasting incredible views of Grey’s Monument and the surrounding streets. Top tip, tables 26 & 27 have the best views. But if you’re not fond of heights they may not be for you. The rooftop restaurant has a real wow factor and I can’t wait to see the roof open when we get some of that Geordie sunshine. This no doubt will be a feature that will draw the crowds but opening roof or not. The food will certainly be the biggest attraction, it is divine and I cannot recommend it highly enough. You really must try it for yourself.
We were treated to the amazing views from table 26. But whether you have an outside view or whether you are seated in the centre of the restaurant the decor is tasteful and sumptuous. As you would expect it is all Asian inspired with subtle lighting and Buddha weaved into the chair designs. Fabulous elephant objet d’art greet you at the entrance and there is a heavy black and gilt theme throughout. The central seating is semi-booth style and there is a private party room and private dining room available. Although I must say that the main restaurant has a fabulous ambience that you wouldn’t want to miss.
Authentic Thai
The staff are all in traditional Thai dress. Which sounds cheesy but they look absolutely wonderful and this adds to the whole pleasurable dining experience. And yes it is more than just a Thai meal it is a dining experience. The menu has an array of dishes from all parts of Thailand so you can have fun ‘sanook‘ tasting all types of food. From curries, noodle dishes and fabulous pad Thai.
The restaurant is more suited to a leisurely lunch or evening meal. A celebration, special occasion or a treat. A place to relax and enjoy good food and not a place to grab a quick bite or rush your meal. There were several birthdays being celebrated when we were there and each one was made extra special by the attentive staff.
So on to the food. Munching on complimentary chilli prawn crackers and dip. We perused the wine list and cocktail menu which showed evidence of a good relationship with ‘The Botanist’. We ultimately decided on two fabulously fresh cocktails. There is also a comprehensive wine list and soft drink selection along with mocktails and a selection of after-dinner cocktails.
First-round: Starters
We shared the Chaophraya platter with a great selection of individual tasters. The platter contained chicken satay, Thai fish cakes, chicken spring rolls, prawn, squid and wing bean tempura with chilli and curry dips. A perfect sharing starter to sample the delicious food on offer. I like nice cutlery and at this restaurant, the knives are those that have a twist where the blade stands up rather than rests on the tablecloth. The attention to detail in some of the simpler touches make this for me a standout restaurant.
Round two
On to the main event. We chose the weeping tiger sirloin steak with its trio of sauces served on a sizzling platter, and the massaman lamb curry with carrot, potato and cashews. To accompany we selected jasmine rice and noodles. It was all exceptional, the food was fresh and extremely delicious. The spice combinations were perfect and the portions were more than sufficient that we couldn’t actually finish it all. I wouldn’t usually select lamb but it was delicious and the actual curry sauce was rich and satisfying. The staff are terrific, attentive and friendly and clearly enjoying their job to make your dining experience as pleasurable as possible.
Just dessert
Although full we couldn’t resist the desserts and selected the one everyone is talking about. The Chocolate Bombe. Served as a large circular chocolate bombe the hot caramel sauce is poured over the bombe at the table melting the chocolate and revealing a Thai whisky ice cream and honey and popcorn centre. This is an absolutely heavenly pudding choice.
We also chose the white chocolate box which presented on the plate looks like a fabulous gift box with a single raspberry adorning a corner. The white chocolate mousse box contains a raspberry coulis centre and sits on a shortbread base. Again, this is both attractively presented and tastes divine.
Final thoughts
A thoroughly enjoyable evening. The food is fresh and well presented and tastes great. The restaurant is stylish and the staff are warm and welcoming. The bill was £35 each not including drinks for the 3 courses that we had selected and I felt that this was a good price for very good food. There is a lunchtime menu Sunday to Friday between 12 and 4 pm with 2 courses for £13.50 or 3 courses for £18.50. For a truly luxurious evening, there is private dining with a personal bar and waitress service. And there is an option to have your party or event planned for you in these private facilities.
I am looking forward to my next evening at Chaophraya and have no doubt it will become a firm favourite in Newcastle. I can’t wait to see the roof open on this truly stunning rooftop restaurant. It certainly gave me all the ‘sanook‘ feels and I am positive you will too.
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Disclaimer: This meal was provided complimentary, all views are our own. Read more about disclosure here.
