Overwhelmed by flavors and service as cricket fans descend on the West Bridgford restaurant

When the booking was made I had completely forgotten that it would clash with the Test match at Trent Bridge. Having as much interest in watching cricket as I do in watching paint dry (sorry cricket fans), it wasn’t on my radar.

Thinking it would be less hectic than a busy Friday or Saturday night, we chose Sunday to visit the Chuckling Squid in West Bridgford. So had half the crowd on the cricket ground – or so it seemed – who had left and headed for the food.

The Thai restaurant in Bridgford Road was full. On a quiet summer evening, the tables outside were full. So were all the window seats and many of the tables inside. I was glad I got a reservation as we were shown to one of the booths.

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If you meet someone who hasn’t visited before, the restaurant has a distinct landmark – just look at the towering monkey tree in the garden that once lent its name to the former pub.

It’s been three years since Gigging Squid opened with its mint green facade and rather pretty floral decor. I was overjoyed to visit one in Stratford-upon-Avon and can’t wait for a return game, but this time on the doorstep. However, it wasn’t so much a ‘chuckle squid’ as a wet squib when I visited within three months of opening.

We haven’t turned back – until now. We are greeted and seated quickly but because it is so busy it takes about 20 minutes for our drinks to arrive. Still, it’s a drink worth the wait.

As my husband Gregg pours a pint of Singha, a Thai lager, for dinner, I have the only mosquito that isn’t a nuisance. The Mango Chilli Mosquito cocktail puts a spicy twist on the traditional Mojito. The combination of rum, mango, pineapple and ginger ale is a strong fruity combination with a bit of chilli in the tail.

Gregg chooses a dish from the new summer menu, which has two appetizers and mains that are lighter for the warmer months. He opts for the chicken and shrimp salad.

After two rousing choruses of Happy Birthday from Different Tables, the debutantes arrive. Fat, juicy shrimp and shredded chicken sit on a bed of lettuce leaves, topped with crunchy peanuts, herbs, chilies, and a tangy citrus dressing. I steal a shrimp, making sure to avoid cilantro.

Our server Cleo knows exactly which dish I can choose because she also hates the taste of pungent grass. The salt and pepper chilli mushrooms, on the standard menu, are a coriander-free zone.

Sliced ​​and deep-fried to create a crispy coating, the bright red chili and garlic garnish radiates heat. I’m glad I chose it over the spring rolls because it has x10 flavor.

Incidentally, it’s a vegan dish – whoever says vegan food is boring, say so to my buzzing mouth. Two very different appetizers – ying and yang, healthy and fried – but both super flavorful.

My Thai mains are red curry or Pad Thai. Every time. But one of the special curries, a shrimp and soft-shell crab, a yellow curry, blew me away.

If you have never had a soft shell crab before, it is simply a crab that has lost its shell. Don’t let his shape, with all the legs still attached, put you off this delicacy. Lightly fried, bathed in yellow curry with prawns, eggplant, green beans and cabbage.

I am in love with this dish. You might think that the subtlety of the sweet crab meat gets lost with all the curry spices, whole peppercorns (lots of them), garlic, chilies, and creamy coconut milk, but it’s not. It holds its own against the other robust flavors.

Despite a fried appetizer and a main course, I don’t feel like I had a thick, oily meal. A side of papaya salad instead of rice definitely helped balance it out. The mix of julienned fruit, carrot, crunchy green beans and hazelnuts in a spicy, sweet, salty and sour dressing provides a burst of freshness.

All those different flavors ricocheting around the mouth leave me enjoying the aftertaste for quite some time. Gregg’s chicken and cashew chicken is milder with a delicious umami flavor.

This time, despite being so busy, it was a much improved experience with every dish packing a punch and helpful and friendly service. Or as those cricket fans would say, it was a very good innings.

Prices:

mango chilli mosquito £8.95

Pint of Singha £7.50

Salt & Pepper Chilli Mushrooms £6.80

Chicken and prawn salad £8.50

Prawns and crab curry £20.50

Chicken and cashews £14.95

Papaya Salad £8.95

Total: £66.75 plus 8% service charge