South East Asian deliciousness

Thanks to the calm and tranquil atmosphere in this fusion restaurant, teamed with the feng shui-friendly decor (think gongs and buddhas) and a menu that spans South East Asia - with a focus on Thailand -a visit here is a gastronomic journey, rather than the cuisine equivalent of a quick pop to the shops. The restaurant looks out over Sheikh Zayed Road and boasts a menu that fuses Indian, Vietnamese and Thai food; there are so many choices that you'll struggle to know where to start. For those who fall prey to food envy at the best of times, I'd recommend doing what we did and ordering the Indo Thai sharing platter to start, which is made up of Chicken in pandan leaves, Beef satay, Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls and Crispy cheese tikka pasties. The light and aromatic chicken and prawn spring rolls won us over and the succulently grilled chicken wrapped in pandan leaves came in a very close second. Next time, however, we want to try the Anglo-Indian lentil Mulligatawny soup (which literally means ‘peppery water' and is packed with spices). Post-platter, it was time to choose a main course. After umming and ahhing for a good few minutes over the Caramelised sea bass, I opted for the Soft-shell crab in yellow curry, and I'm delighted that I did. One of the most delicious things I've ever eaten, the dish was just on the right side of tickle-your-tongue spicy and certainly didn't scrimp on the crab (there were three in the dish). My slightly more adventurous friend opted for something she had never tried before, the Beef cheek red curry. The soupy dish was also Thai - and a touch spicier than my yellow curry - and stocked full of the notoriously tender cut of meat as well as stir-fried vegetables including crunchy fresh peppers, and let's just say she was glad that she'd been daring. Not the kind of girls to be defeated by a three-courser, we challenged ourselves to pudding. With reams of interesting and tempting options - just quite how they make their halwa-style carrot cake spicy is still a mystery to me - we chose the Sago porridge and Chocolate fondant (a classic) and shared the two desserts, which are the exact opposite of each other. Our waitress warned us that the traditional Vietnamese rice ball porridge would be like nothing we'd ever tried before, and she'd got that right! Don't be put off by the dessert's green hue - which comes with creamy peanut ice cream and caramelised banana - it was the highlight of our meal. The warm and totally indulgent Chocolate fondant was amazing too, the twist of Sweet potato cubes setting the pudding off and summing up this restaurant and its interesting twists on Asian flavours. Location Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Tel 04 308 0000 Tasty trio: Thai Pai Thai Taking a traditional-style abra to the restaurant along Madinat's famous waterways, you'll feel excited about dinner before you even set foot in this restaurant. The high ceilings and impressive glossy wooden furnishings make this a very romantic spot, and the authentic and deliciously fresh flavours burst with spice and aroma. You certainly won't be feeling anything less than totally satisfied when you leave. Location Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Timing Daily 6.30pm-11pm Tel 04 366 6730 Mango Tree This always-busy Thai restaurant is a must-book for anyone looking to enjoy South East Asian flavours with Dubai Fountain views, as well as high-end- loving diners looking for a meal that won't set them back half a month's rent. Book a table on the impressive outdoor terrace and discover that there's something to please every taste in terms of food, but for us the inventive mud crab and duck dishes are the winners. Location Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Burj Khalifa, Dubai Timing Daily 12.30pm-12am Tel 04 426 7313 Benjarong If you're looking for authentic and impressive Thai food in Dubai, there's only really one place you can head. The traditional wooden decor could easily trick you into thinking you've landed in Thailand for the evening, plus the staff are friendly and the food is delicious. Enjoy the music courtesy of the traditional khim player, and opt for the creamy Chicken coconut soup to start and the Masaman curry for a main, which has a balance of sweet and spicy. Yum. Location Dusit Thani Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road Timing Daily 12pm-3pm, 7pm-11pm Tel 04 343 3333