📍Giggling squid
Starting their humble beginnings in Brighton, husband and wife Pranee and Andy co-founded giggling squid, bringing us an authentic Thai restaurant with a trendy twist. This quirky restaurant stands out from the crowd for its iconic floral interior and delicious food packed with bold but balanced flavours.
We decided to pop in after a day of shopping early in the week. It was super easy to grab a table in Chelmsford midweek around lunchtime. We agreed on Saturday to prebook as it can get super busy. It got packed on Saturday, but with the floral walls used as room dividers, it still feels cosy and intimate and easy to maintain a conversation in a good atmosphere. The interior is so beautiful, with flashes of fuscia and mint green interior with artistic touches of florals and birds. It is a pretty and unique setting, perfect for date nights or special occasions but also really cosy and comforting for families, so it’s a real crowd-pleaser.
The service was excellent, and the staff were accommodating. The staff recommended the me-time margarita, and it did not disappoint – it was possibly the best Marg I’ve ever had. It has added ginger and lemongrass with a curry-salt rim. I was unsure if I would enjoy it (my favourite is a straight-up margarita with no salt), but it has swayed me and is now my new go-to margarita!
Starters we shared golden money bags and pork dumplings – we went pretty small on the starters, but this is mainly because I knew I was having a big hearty main! The golden money bags are described on the menu as “Crispy, golden-brown, parcels of Thai-spiced chicken, herbs and vegetables. Dunk in homemade sweet chilli sauce. Happiness in a mouthful”.
It’s exactly how you would imagine, crispy on the outside, soft herby consistency on the inside, subtle Thai flavours, not spicy. Still, the texture is so perfect and, paired with the chilli sauce, is unreal.
The pork dumplings are the opposite in texture of the golden money bags, which is why they make the perfect duo. The steamed dumplings are filled with tender pork, so the dumplings have a delicate, chewy texture, as you would imagine. Inside is tender pork, and it comes with a gingery soy sauce and a garnish of chilli. Bills tip: you have to eat it all in one bite, with the chilli (trust me, it makes a difference) and really soak it in the soy sauce, and honestly, they are little bombs of salty, spicy goodness!
Mains – I had Beef Paneang first off, I need to explain how I never order a curry from a restaurant. Curries aren’t my favourite dish, and it’s not the kind of meal I usually crave, BUT this is, hand on heart, my current favourite dish. As soon as I leave the restaurant, I’m so excited to return to have it again (we did go twice in the space of 5 days because the cravings were real!)
I love the texture of beef in a curry, and you can choose whichever meat you prefer. With beef, it absorbs all of the flavours from the Penang, a red curry with an undertone of coconut, and it’s balanced with fragrant flavours and subtle spices with added peppers. It adds a freshness to it with a nice crunchy texture which adds to the dish, IMO.
Bill opted for the ‘Two giggling squid’, which is a platter for one which consists of ‘Chicken Massaman Curry, Salt & Pepper Squid, Delicious Thai Chicken Wings, and Jasmine Rice. It arrives all on one plate, like a little platter for one.
The salt and pepper squid was excellent, so tender, crispy, and a little spicy!
The massaman curry is also, dare I say it, another favourite curry! I have fully converted to curries (Thai ones, especially!) The massaman curry dates way back to the 17th century and is one of giggling squid’s most popular dishes today! A mild coconut curry (we love coconut curry!) perfumed with cinnamon, cardamom and star anise is well-balanced and fragrant. They also do a lamb shank massaman which I want to try!
We didn’t end up having dessert because we were heading into a food coma, but I cannot fault this restaurant. The decor, the vibes and the food are all immaculate, the service is excellent, and it’s perfect for groups, families and couples! I 100% would recommend it!
Have you been to giggling squid before? What’s your favourite dish?
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