Foodie Fortnight at Mango Thai Tapas, Southampton

AD – This meal was complimentary in return for a review.

Mango Thai Tapas is a well loved and popular trio of restaurants in Southampton. I’ve been hearing rave reviews about Mango Thai for years – and yesterday evening I finally was able to try the food for myself!

I was invited down to Mango Thai Tapas to experience their food and have a preview of their offerings ahead of the Southampton Foodie Fortnight, run by Go! Southampton. For two weeks from 23rd September until 6th October, you can visit the Above Bar branch of Mango Thai for a bargain dinner of curry, rice and a dessert for £15. An excellent deal for date night! To take advantage of the deal, just visit the Foodie Fortnight website, choose which restaurant out of several options in Southampton you fancy and book a table – it’s as easy as that!

Also included in the Foodie Fortnight deals are:

• Revolucion de Cuba – 3 tapas for £10
• HarBar on 6th – Afternoon tea for £10
• The Jetty – 2 course lunch for £15
• Bill’s – 2 course dinner for £15
• Banana Wharf – pizza or pasta & a dessert for £15

Foodie Fortnight is a brilliant opportunity to try out a few new restaurants in Southampton or revisit your favourites at a fraction of the price. Where are you going to eat first?

You’ll find Mango Thai Tapas just around the corner from the O2 Guildhall in Southampton city centre, ideally located for pre-theatre dinners, a pre-concert bite to eat or a spot of food after some shopping.

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The decor is authentic and colourful, inspired by Thailand and the surrounding countries – and these influences are also reflected in the menu. There is plenty of seating, but the restaurant is very popular and does get busy – so make a booking just in case!

On the menu you’ll find a huge range of tapas alongside main dishes including noodles, stir-fries, curries and grills. So much to choose, that you’ll simply have to return for more – or make sure to take someone with you who likes to share.

We ordered cocktails (a lychee & mint soda for me) and took a while to peruse the tapas menu. There’s so much to choose from that it is quite challenging narrowing down the options, but in the end we chose four tapas to share between the two of us.

Our tapas arrived promptly, and each plate was generously sized – perfect for sharing! The tapas dishes range from £5 to £7 each, and the portions and quality of the food reflect the price well.

First up was the Prawn Panko, a favourite of mine that I can never resist ordering if I see it on the menu. Five skewered king prawns, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried, served with a sweet chilli sauce for dipping. Just as delicious as they look, and something I would definitely order again!

Vegetable tempura, served with a spicy strawberry dipping sauce – something we had never heard of before and couldn’t wait to try. The strawberry sauce was amazing, and the vegetable tempura were crispy and perfectly cooked.

Mango corn cakes – one of their bestsellers, and with good reason! Made with sweetcorn and fresh mango and served with sweet chilli for dipping, the combination of flavours was slightly sweet and delicious.

I’ve saved the best for last, and it’s a classic that everyone loves – Chicken Satay. The chicken was tender and crispy on the outside, and the sauce was excellent. A peanutty delight that you have to order when you visit.

Another soda to see my through the main course – this time a Thai limeade. Refreshing!

We ordered two mains and shared a little of both – the first of which was the Golden Curry. I’d never seen this on a menu before, and it was very tasty! The sauce was fairly mild and flavoured with turmeric, giving it the golden colour from the name. Filled with vegetables and chicken, and with a side of sticky rice. I can confidently say that this is the best Thai curry I’ve ever had.

We also ordered a classic Phad Thai, with juicy king prawns and plenty of noodles. The sauce was sweet and tangy and the portion was generously sized – and absolutely delicious! I’d order this again in a heartbeat, and so should you.

We had a lovely evening at Mango Thai Tapas, and I can’t wait to go back for more. You can find them in Portswood, Ocean Village and Above Bar – but don’t forget that if you’re after the Foodie Fortnight deal, this is only at the Above Bar restaurant.

Visit the Mango Thai Tapas website here, and have a browse of their menu here.

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