Kin Kao has been on my list of ‘must try’ places for quite a while now, and there’s no better time to get checking off that list than during Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
We’ve all got one. Those places that you walk past and find yourself time and time again saying “ooh we must go there!” Well, Kin Kao is that place for me.
The allure of the glamorous Union Street exterior with a giant golden Buddha adorning the window inviting you in, all set against the warm glow of lavish chandeliers, combined with the promise of sumptuous, authentic Thai food is almost too much to resist.
Thankfully this time we didn’t have to.
It’s safe to say that the foodies of Aberdeen must have been delighted to see the city centre favourite joining the ARW line-up once more this year, as we arrived to a fast-filling restaurant early on a Saturday evening.
We immediately noticed something else showing testament to the eateries popularity; the constant stream of flitting delivery drivers flowing through the door all evening. Always a good sign in my books.
With hungry bellies and excitement for a mighty feed building, we quickly ordered a cold beer and got to scanning the menu – a pointless exercise really as we’d obviously already looked it up online. Doesn’t everyone?
Unfortunately we got off to a slow start(er…). While the dishes that landed in front of us were beautiful to look at, they didn’t dazzle.
The dishes from Kin Kao in Aberdeen
I had ordered the tord man khao phod (vg) – deep-fried sweet corn cakes. The corn itself was sparse, and what I crunched my way through was mostly batter, however the accompanying sweet chilli dip was a lovely tangy saving grace.
The hubby went for the tord mun pla – Thai fish cakes. He chowed them down happily as he enjoyed the subtly spiced flavour, but agreed that the texture could have been firmer.
Luckily it was soon onwards and upwards to the mains.
The menu is accommodating to all, with a selection of classic Thai dishes which can all be adapted to your selection of protein – whether it be beef, chicken, prawns or veg and tofu – that takes your fancy.
No need to slap on the sides either as they all come served with either jasmine rice or plain noodles.
Keep calm and curry on…
Both absolute suckers for a Thai curry, we fought for a bit over who would order what (we have a self-imposed ban on both ordering the same dish, you see), before settling on a panang curry and a massaman curry respectively.
Although it needn’t have mattered as we both completely forgot who ordered what by the time they arrived. Sharing is caring though, as they say.
We decided to get our greens in and both went for veg and tofu to bulk up our choices of sauce.
The dishes arrived looking divine, beautifully presented and both served with mounds of perfectly cooked rice and noodles.
Appearing fairly similar on the surface, both curries were full bodied, luxuriously creamy with coconut, and piled high with an array of veggies alongside the sumptuously squishy tofu which had soaked up gallons of flavour.
The real difference came when I first reached for a spoonful of what we decided was Grant’s panang curry – wow – this slaps you with an instant whack of flavour.
First of all, there’s a ferocious chilli heat, which soon mellows and allows the zingy kaffir lime to shine through. Just sensational. This is definitely a dish for the bold.
If, however, you like things a little more timid, but still rich and delicious, the massaman might be the choice for you.
Having impressively polished off the entirety of the generously sized mains, we questioned whether our bulging stomachs could stretch to a dessert.
Kin Kao ‘special Thai dessert’ goes down a treat
The sensible me should have called it quits there and then, but the curious me couldn’t quite get past the intrigue of the ‘special Thai sessert’, which mysteriously came with no description on the menu.
Caving in all too quickly, we decided to split one, for the sake of unravelling the mystery.
What arrived were two utterly delightful banana fritters, coated in some of the most light and crisp coconut filled batter imaginable.
Warm and comforting, and just the right amount of sweet, they went down wonderfully, especially accompanied by the smooth vanilla ice cream.
I guess sometimes it pays off to be nosey. Or greedy. I’d accept either.
The verdict
While the starters didn’t blow us away, the rest of the meal and overall experience more than made up for it, and the value for money within the ARW offer at Kin Kao is undeniable.
Information
A: 345 Union Street, Aberdeen AB11 6BS
Price: £35 (not including drinks)
Aberdeen Restaurant Week Offer: Two courses for £15 or three courses for £20
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