Sawadee Thai Restaurant - Review of Sawadee Thai Restaurant in Brighton

An unpretentions neighborhood Thai Restaurant on the edge of Brighton's trendy Kemptown. The food is great, the atmosphere relaxed, the service friendly and the clientele a cross-section of local people, weekenders and visitors. What more can you want?

Sawadee a Brighton favorite, with accolades from the local and national press. So it comes as something of a surprise to see what relaxed, casual place it is. Its front room is, essentially a shop window on St. James Street. Rather than concealing the dining room with etched glass, blinds or curtains, the windows are bare. Warm pools of light pour onto the street and passersby can see the potted palms, the statue of Buddha and the diners at round tables with dark blue cloths.

Patrons who prefer a bit more privacy from the passing scene can choose the lovely back room, with its white walls, mirrors and the owner's collection of Thai artworks.

Service is attentive and pleasantly friendly. So many popular restaurants nowadays treat patrons as if they are lucky to be allowed to occupy a table. It's refreshing and very pleasant to be treated as though the restaurant staff is genuinely happy you came.

Thai Food at Sawadee

Sawadee has a reputation for its imaginative interpretations and presentations of Thai food and the menu is full of temptations -

• thai aubergine (eggplant) in black bean sauce with thai herbs
• cod fillet in delicate dry curry spices and coconut milk
• prawns stir fried with fresh ginger and onion

Those are just a few items on an extensive menu of soups, salads, stir fries, noodle, rice and thai curry dishes.

I like to try new Thai restaurants by ordering standard classics to see how they do them. My som tam - the classic green papaya and carrot salad - was just luscious, crunch, tart and spicy to exactly the right degree. It was served in a marble mortar with the pestle tucked in. My main course, the popular noodle dish pad thai, was well seasoned and a good blend of flavors. I would have liked a slightly heavier hand with the chopped peanuts. But, overall, a satisfying meal, under £20 with wine, coffee and tip.