Saturday 8 December 2018

Tuk Tuk, Thai street food restaurant, Cardiff


Do you believe that some restaurant locations are cursed?

You know, those venues that have a wicked combination of low passing trade, bad parking and an odd layout or huge number of covers.

I’m dubious.

Whilst some spots are definitely much better than others, I believe (perhaps naively) that if you’re good enough then people will come.

One such awkward location is 22 Crwys Road, the former home of Jerk It (good), Mashup (also good) and Munchies (they served a fried breakfast in a jar).

Tuk Tuk, a Thai street food restaurant, is the latest business to make a go of this location.


Their menu is compact, well-priced and features familiar Thai classics as well more unique dishes such as kai jieaw (crispy Thai omelette), larb (spicy and sour mince with mint) and nomyen (pink milk tea).

A pair of Singha beers were ice cold and malty. They’re complimentary until 28 December if you follow Tuk Tuk on Instagram or Facebook.


Starters were excellent. In fact, they were the highlight of the meal.

Crisp and golden grease-free spring rolls (£4.25) were filled with a light mix of chicken, mushroom, carrot and onion. Accompanying sweet chilli sauce was free from clag. 


Som Tam, green papaya salad (£5.95), saw crisp shreds of papaya and carrot bathed in a potent dressing of citrus, chilli and fish sauce. It was a lovely balance of sweet, spicy and sour with crunch and chew in the form of toasted peanuts and dried shrimp. 

 
The standout dish of the meal was a quartet of delightfully tender pork skewers (£4.25). Crisp, sticky, lightly charred in places and warming spiced they were perfect beer food. 

 
Mains were both very good.

A big portion of pad thai (£7.95) saw a mound of well separated rice noodles bound with tangy tamarind sauce flecked with plentiful chicken, nuggets of sweet spring onion, peanuts, al dente beansprouts and the freshness of lime. 


A Massiman curry rice set (£7.95) was good too. A bowlful of creamy, coconutty, mildly spiced curry sauce was bobbing with fall-apart tender chicken, sweet onions and soft potatoes. 

 
A mound of sticky rice was cooked on point. 

 
We had a delicious and good value meal with charming service at Tuk Tuk. I really hope they can make a success of 22 Crwys Road.

The Details:

Address - Tuk Tuk, 22 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4NL
Telephone - 029 2023 1334




No comments:

Post a Comment