Don’t be put off by the strip club next door, or the walk up to a first-floor room, Phetpailin was a top tip from a Manchester local for a Saturday night out in town. Located in the city’s Chinatown district, the restaurant has been serving up traditional Thai food since 2006. Even better: if you like wine, there’s a bring-your-own option, with a bargain charge of just £1 corkage per bottle.
On the evening when our group of four visited, Phetpailin was doing brisk business. Despite being given a two-hour window for our table, at no stage did we feel rushed or pressured. Throughout, service was excellent, with the staff delighted to provide menu suggestions and bring multiple changes of glassware for our somewhat demanding group.
While the mixed selection of starters provided a strong way for the venue to showcase its cooking, Phetpailin really came into its own with the mains. Our quartet ordered widely from the menu, selecting Phad Thai and red curry among others. The server’s wisdom came in especially handy here as your reviewer was recommended one of their fish curries, not a choice he would normally have gone for. The Pla Chu Chee, or crispy tilapia fillet in a thick red curry sauce topped with lime leaves, was a masterpiece of sensations and textures, with the spice tingling harmoniously but balanced superbly with the coconut cream in the sauce. At just £30/head (and we did, of course, bring our own drinks), Phetpailin is a veritable bargain.
On a separate note, an honourable mention to This And That. Apparently a Manchester institution, the venue is currently celebrating its fortieth birthday. Little has probably changed since 1984. The angle of this India café is ‘three curries on a plate.’ What you see is what you get. Your reviewer sampled on Sunday night the venue’s excellent chicken tikka, lamb and spinach offering and a spoonful of chickpea curry all for the unbelievable price of £8.50.