For almost a decade now, Mantra Thai Dining has stood proudly on Newcastle's Forth Banks - a temple to the city's burgeoning love of Thai cuisine and culture.
Whether it’s in the snapshots all over social media or the sage recommendations from local hoteliers, it hasn’t taken long for the restaurant to become a firm favourite.
Set in the famous Waterside Palace site, Mantra offers onsite parking and a melody of Thai flavours – spicy, sweet, sour and savoury.
However, while I’m known to frequent with a hungry cabal known as ‘The Curry Club’, it had been a while since I’d visited with the family. A recent facelift proved an apt time to address this, so I pitched up with the Grahamslaw clan to compile an updated review.
With ample parking on-site, it’s a perfect choice for those with designated drivers in tow. Inside, the new-look dining area evokes a warm and convivial atmosphere with floor-to-ceiling windows, parquet flooring and various Thai objets d’art bringing the style.
A warm Thai welcome is always assured as we were greeted and shown to a cosy corner table. Delightful aromas pervade the air and really got the digestive juices flowing while I had never seen the dining area so packed on a busy run-up-to-Christmas Winter’s evening.
A cool Singha beer really awoke the palate for my son Jack and I while the girl’s sipped on an excellent bottle of Pinot Grigio blush.
In terms of food, Mantras menu is exciting and varied in scope with an abundance of choice across stir fries, soups, salads, curries, chargrilled and seafood dishes and vegetarian dishes.
Carrying it’s own mantra of “Food is an art, cook from the heart”, dishes are homespun and freshly prepared and come stylishly presented with evocative colours leaping out from the plate.
Kicking off, I chose the chicken tom yum soup a winter-warming, creamy, hot and sour soup with chicken, mushrooms, roasted chillies, lemongrass, galangal, coriander, kaffir lime leaves and Thai herbs combining to create a spicy, distinctive taste.
Jack enjoyed the grilled pork skewers, Bangkok street food favourite, char-grilled pork and marinated in honey and coriander root and laced with a tangy tamarind for extra oomph.
Lisa tucked into the Thai fishcakes, spiked with red curry paste and balanced with kaffir leaves while my daughter Holly proclaimed the shredded duck spring rolls as some of the best she’d tried in recent times. Praise indeed!
This was quickly turning into an impressive meal and got even better when the main courses arrived. I reverted to type with my preferred chilli and basil chicken – a spicy and fragrant Thai classic stir-fried with fresh chillies, garlic, green beans and holy basil leaves.
Jack’s sizzling garlic butter king prawns featured some of the plumpest king prawns we had seen in recent memory with egg fried rice proving the perfect accompaniment.
Lisa and Holly meanwhile chose the Thai Green chicken curry and the king prawn Pad Thai respectively. Singing with umami flavours, these proved Mantra also does the basics very well.
Throughout our meal we were waited on superbly by Team Mantra and will certainly be back to sample their eightcourse ‘Journey to Thailand’ tasting menu which offers a real culinary odyssey.
Prior to leaving we were told by one of the team that the Christmas menu starts on 1st December and includes a set lunch & early dining menu with a complimentary festive drink. There will also be live music throughout the month on Wednesday nights provided by Connor Haley.
Mantra’s mission of bringing a touch of Thailand to Tyneside continues apace.
For more information, visit www.mantra-thai.co.uk