Chaophraya, Manchester

As we wandered through empty streets we smugly imagined we would have the place to ourselves. England’s first World Cup match was on and pubs and living rooms were packed out with fans, surely we would be the only people heading for Thai food in a football-free space? It says an awful lot about the popularity of Chaophraya that as we were led upstairs we realised the place was still packed out, like some clandestine anti-football protest.

The two storey restaurant has been beautifully decorated with Buddha heads, fresh flowers and floor cushions if you fancy trying out a Thai tradition. It wasn’t my first time there, and I had some favourites on the menu (Paew Wan Pollomai with beef comes highly recommended), but decided to opt for new dishes, to expand my knowledge of Thai cuisine. After trying some Thai-style prawn crackers, we picked the Golden Treasures platter to start, and it came over on a huge plate, placed on a stand on the table. This was impressive stuff, not just in size but in the beautiful presentation and the variety of the food. The somtum salad was just too hot for us, but everything else was a hit. Favourites included the honey marinated pork, strangely dry but still delicious, Gung Chup Pang Tod, a battered prawn dish, and beautifully flavoured minced crabmeat, pork and prawn.

Mains included more prawns – Kung Phu Kao Fui, gargantuan King Prawns cooked in red wine and flambéed in brandy at the table. The prawns were fantastic, although both the red wine and brandy flavours could have packed more of a punch . I had what looked like an odd dish on the menu, a fruity curry with duck, called Gaeng Sii Ruedue. No, I didn’t attempt to pronounce it. Still, it was really tasty, with cherry tomatoes and pineapple cutting through the creamy Thai curry sauce. Plus they let me take the leftovers home and it tasted even better the next day!

The service at Chaophraya is legendary, full of smiles and kindness. They have an above average number of staff and you rarely wait long for anything. They have the knack of giving you an expensive-feeling restaurant experience, and then surprising you with a reasonable bill. Go now, but don’t expect it to be quiet - this place is no longer a secret, and rightly so.

Chaophraya is on Chapel Walks, off Cross St. You know, near where Grinch and the chophouse are.