Thai Gallery in the Puente Romano may boast brand new interiors but its essence – fine Thai cuisine crafted by chefs who are aces at marrying tradition to innovation – remains the same.
Thai Gallery’s interiors boast an interplay of traditional (think authentic hand-crafted antique wooden doors) and modern (tube-shaped lights that jutt out of the ceiling) influences. An art deco feel emanates from one side of the restaurant, where circular and horizontal shapes house colourful blue and green bottles.
The outdoor terrace, always a favourite spot in the summertime, overlooks the ancient Roman bridge and stately trees, gracefully lit up with fairy lights. Walking through the entrance and inside, your eye is captivated by the bar, handcrafted in two-toned wood and once again boasting art deco influences.
The menu at Thai Gallery is varied indeed. The starter list alone contains over 13 entries and there are also various soups to select from, as well as a range of saladas, curries, and stir fries. One excellent page to turn to if you are unsure about your choice is the Chef’s Recommendation section – which includes what is arguably my favourite dish here – the red curry (duck), comprising crispy duck served with cherry tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, and a creamy red curry sauce refreshed by tender basil leaves – an absolute star! Another to-die-for dish is the grilled sirloin steak served with stir-fried lemongrass, garlic, chilli, and basil leaves – a flavour explosion that is sweet, hot, and savoury all at once.
On my recent visit to Thai Gallery, our group of friends thought it would be fabulous to try an array of dishes and to share all the amazing flavours. We tucked into the Mixed Thai Starters – a beautifully presented plate with chicken satay, beef tamarind, prawn satay, a spicy prawn salad, and Thai spring rolls – once again testimony to the Thai penchant for blending sweet, herby, and spicy sensations, all in one bite. Equally healthy yet satisfying was the scallop artichoke salad – succulent, golden-grilled scallop rounds were served over tender artichokes, fried onion, minced chicken, and quail egg, livened up with a refreshing citrus sauce.
One of the best things about Thai Gallery is that there truly is something for everyone – even if you are after something lighter. For instance, we tried two different types of nem – soft and fresh, and crisp and steaming hot! Another of the lighter options we enjoyed was the green papaya and taco salad – such an original and refreshing dish. It contained a blend of green papaya and cherry tomatoes, carrots, and green beans, drizzled with a dressing containing palm sugar, chili, lemon juice and fish sauce. It was a joy to bite into finely sliced lime rind, which added a citrusy ‘bang’ that goes so well with sweeter fruits like papaya.
For our mains, we tried the two specials mentioned above, plus something quite unexpected yet magnificent – tender lamb cutlets served over mash and a soul-soothing red onion Massaman curry sauce.
Dessert is top-of-the-range at Thai Gallery, so make room for it! We ended our meal with a cheesecake that even the one non-sweet tooth in our group took on with aplomb, and of course, the quintessential Thai Gallery sticky rice with mango. Both sweets were served with an entire open face of mango which tasted exactly like the mangos I was lucky enough to savour in the Philippines as a child. What a dessert and what an experience! At Thai Gallery, you can just never get enough of the beautiful blend of flavours, made with love, respect for tradition, and sheer artistry.
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
At the Hotel Puente Romano. Tel: (+34) 952 818 392.