I have drooled over the food pictures posted on Noks Thai Kitchen on Facebook for as long as I can remember.
It was one of those pages that I regularly stumbled across on my home page, which was then followed by me admiring photos of the Thai grub and saying to myself: “I’ll need to stop by there someday.”
So when one of our readers, Jade Allan from Aberdeen, recommended Julia and I pay the Dyce-based food truck a visit as part of our Drive-Thru Diners series, it was placed firmly on our list of food businesses to sample.
It just so happened that one of our latest outings required a visit to Inverurie, so we decided to make a slight detour to Dyce on the way.
Noks Thai Kitchen: What is it and what’s on offer?
Noks Thai Kitchen is located on Howe Moss Avenue in Dyce.
It opened its hatch to local foodies four years ago, dishing out a tempting selection of starters, main courses, and vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Beef stir fry with cashew nuts, pork fried rice, satay curry, panang tofu and vegetables, and prawn stir fry are among them.
Everything is homemade by owner Nok, and partner Cecil assists in other aspects of the business. It is very much a family affair.
Opening times vary by month. In September, Noks Thai Kitchen operates from 10.30am to 1.30pm Wednesday to Friday, and 4-8pm on Saturdays.
Customers can order through JustEat and Deliveroo or pre-order by phoning or WhatsApping 07957243771. Pre-orders are highly recommended as the vendor is prone to selling out due to popularity.
Julia and I phoned in our order 20 minutes ahead of stopping by. If we hadn’t, we would have been out of luck.
The order:
Verdict: Chicken and cheese rolls
Chicken and cheese rolls were something I had never heard of before clocking them on the menu at Noks Thai Kitchen.
When I phoned to place the order, Cecil informed me these were his favourite dish. “I would live off them if I could,” he joked.
Appearance-wise, they looked just like your typical spring roll. To taste, they were rather unique.
The pastry was crisp and held together well, while the interior consisted of juicy chicken breast and mild, stringy cheese.
An accompanying sauce would have rounded it off perfectly, Julia suggested sweet chilli sauce, but it was a mouth-watering treat that had me going back for more. I understand why Cecil speaks so highly of them…
Presentation
Julia: 2.5/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Verdict: Thai fish cakes
Dark brown in shade, they almost had a rubbery texture to them – something I am not accustomed to when tucking into fish cakes. But Julia assured me this was normal for Thai ones.
The flavours coming through were fresh in terms of the seasoning and meat, and the chopped chilli added a heat to it.
They were too fishy for my palate – and trust me, I adore seafood – but I now know that’s what’s to be expected of when ordering authentic ones. Julia enjoyed them but thought they had a tofu sort of texture.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 2.5/5
Verdict: Vegetable spring rolls
The shell of the spring rolls matched that of the chicken and cheese rolls – crunchy and ever-so-slightly flakey.
And delicious, of course.
There were three on offer, half of what was available in the chicken and cheese rolls portion, but they appeared a lot heftier.
The pair of us agreed that they could have been packed with much more fresh veggies inside. But when we did get a bite of vegetables, they were lovely.
Presentation
Julia: 2.5/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 4/5
Verdict: Massaman curry with rice
When ordering a curry from Noks Thai Kitchen, you get to choose between a selection of meats – beef, chicken, prawn or pork – to throw in the mix.
For the massaman, Julia and I thought chicken would be the best bet. We were correct.
Our initial thoughts were that it appeared more on the watery side. However, our tub was full to the brim, so the dish (including a portion of boiled rice) was fantastic value for money at £5.
I’m not exaggerating when I say the chicken melted in the mouth. It was a triumph. And as for the sauce itself, it was mild and had a nice sweetness to it. There was plenty veg and as expected with a massaman, soft boiled potato in there, too.
If only the pair of us had dunked our chicken and cheese rolls in the leftovers…
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Verdict: Jungle curry with noodles
If you love curry with heat, then keep reading.
Unbeknown to me, I ordered the hottest curry on the street vendor’s menu. I also requested it come as hot as possible – Thai spice – which Cecil said would melt the tub it came in.
When Julia and I first lifted the lift, the spicy aroma filled the car instantly, as did the heat from the dish.
It looked enticing. There was an assortment of tasty-looking chunky vegetables to dive into, as well as our selected meat, beef, and noodles on the side.
Albeit spicy – resulting in us both sweating in an already hot car and yours truly experiencing heartburn – the flavours were delicious and, in my opinion, it had a slightly creamy texture to it. Julia didn’t handle the heat so well, but enjoyed the curry nonetheless.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
The jungle curry with noodles came out on top at Noks Thai Kitchen, racking up a score of 16/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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