Sukhothai have been featured in The Times Newspapers' guide to the 10 Top Thai restaurants in the U.K for the third consecutive year.
Sukhothai appeared in The Times alongside 9 other highly rated and respected Thai restaurants from all areas of the United Kingdom. Sukhothai were the featured Thai restaurant in the article.
What the article said.
"The menu at this pleasing Thai restaurant runs to more than 100 dishes, all cooked swiftly to add immediacy and punch. Steamed crab with beanthread noodles, spring onion, coriander, chinese leaf, condensed milk, egg, carrot and pepper, and duck marinated in garlic and pepper, are typical of the delicately presented concoctions on offer. Add smiling and courteous service, an atmosphere of well-being, and a short, useful wine list, and Sukhothai is hard to beat"
With our 18ft fully fitted and functioning mobile kitchen, custom built with an identical kitchen to that used in our restaurants, and operated by our professional Thai chefs and efficient polite staff. We are now confident that we can cater for every event or occasion, no matter how big or small, without compromising on any of the high standards of quality, food and service expected from Sukhothai. You can see us at Harewood House for the VW Festival on the 16th and 17th August and the Family Steam Rally on the 24th and 25th August. Then on the 29th - 31st August we will be at the Chapel Allerton Art Festival on Regent Street. We will then be showcasing at the York Food Festival from the 19th - 29th September.
The Good Food Guide was first compiled by Raymond Postgate in 1951 and its ambition was simply to "inform diners of great places to eat". Raymond Postage’s assertion that, "You can corrupt one man. You can't bribe an army.” remains as true today as it was in 1951, as every single entry in the guide is based on a completely impartial assessment."
What the guide says. "When it opened in 2002, Sukhothai was no bigger than your average greasy spoon. Much like the rather cosmopolitan urban village it’s situated in, Sukhothai has expanded rapidly since then, having taken over some of the neighbouring business premises.The usual suspects are all present - tentative types would do well with any of the delicious pad thai noodle dishes – but there are tons of the more unusual options for the connoisseur, like tab gata lon, sizzling chicken and duck livers fried in lime leaves, chilli and lemongrass. Everything, across the board, is top notch!". Sukhothai is one of only 7 Thai restaurants in the whole of the UK and the only Thai restaurant in Yorkshire and surrounding counties that is recommended by the Guide.
This year the glittering award ceremony was held at the Queens Hotel on November 14th 2007 and was attended by more than 300 guests. Sukhothai had been nominated in 3 categories : Best Chef, Best Service and Best restaurant. Extracted from the Leeds Guide 13th December 2007. "Finally it fell to Gaynor Barnes and Sir Jimmy Saville to announce the winner of the most coveted title of all :- the overall Best Restaurant in Leeds 2007. Sir Jimmy revealed the result: Chapel Allerton favourite Sukhothai, who with a combination of brilliantly judged food, great service and unbelievably great value, had won the judges over." Lunch and Dinner are served Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 12noon - 3pm, Monday to Saturday Evening 5pm - 11pm, Sunday Evening 6pm - 11pm. The new restaurant opened on the 22nd November, and all reservation enquiries should be made by calling the Headingley restaurant directly on 0113 278 1234. If you are unable to join us to eat in the restaurant, the take away is also available for you to enjoy freshly prepared healthy thai food at your convenience.
We are pleased to announce that we have been able to acquire the adjacent unit, and we have now completed the improvements to the dining area.
In addition to these works we have also introduced some new dishes to the menu for your enjoyment.
Please rest assured that everyone at Sukhothai is extremely gratefull to all of our customers and friends for their support since our launch in 2002. We are continually striving to make your experience with us most enjoyable, and we hope that the planned improvements enhance your experiece with us. We would also like to thank everyone who completed a survey card for their help in identifying where these improvements could be made.
If you do have any further suggestions on anything you feel can be improved please do let us know.
For further information on Hardens please visit www.hardens.com
Opening the carved wooden door and
walking into their luxuriously spacious
dining area you are hit by an appetisingly
familiar aroma. The spices swimming
through the air will no doubt remind
you of your local Chinese takeaway, but
with some added extra zing - something
forewarning your taste buds that they’re in
for something special.
With a tongue-twisting menu that boasts
over a 157 dishes, the worst aspect of
eating here is choosing. You may well find
that your meal can be cooked in a fraction
of the time it takes you to decide upon it,
but a cool Singha beer is one very effective
way of stopping the choice-making process being too unbearable.
A steaming plate of weeping tiger (steak with chilli sauces) is the very definition of delicious enough to cause the most miserable of critics to emit a subtle, if highly-satisfied, burp. For the vegetarians out there, there are twenty odd meals available, which for once don’t put you in mind of food for anaemic rabbits.
Once your belly has swelled like a pregnant
hippo’s with your main course, a cool ice
cream-based pudding is a good option to
cool the inferno in your mouth, but that may
mean missing out on the caramelised banana
– a pudding worthy of the term ‘epic’.
To read the review in full and to download the Itchy Guide please visit here
READ THE FULL REVIEW
Sukhothai appeared in The Times alongside 9 other highly rated and respected Thai restaurants from all areas of the United Kingdom. Sukhothai were chosen as the featured Thai restaurant in the article. What the article said. "Enjoy the full on flavour of Thailand with our guide to the best of its food nationwide". "A couple of miles from Leeds City Centre lies Chapel Allerton, with its growing community of neighbourhood restaurants. Among them is this pleasing Thai restaurant. The interior design is spare and modern, but the menu is much more elaborate. It runs to more than 100 dishes, and the cooking is swiftly executed. Stir fried noodles with eggs, beansprouts, carrot, spring onion, peanuts and prawn is typical in its delicacy of presentation. Service comes with smiling courtesy and there is an atmosphere of peaceful well being." The other restaurants included in the list were :- Chiang Mai Kitchen -Oxford. Crazy Bear-Stadhampton, Numjai Thai -Newcastle, Pacific - Manchester, Thai Boathouse Stratford upon Avon, Thai Edge - Birmingham, Thai Fountain - Glasgow, Thai House - Cardiff, Thai Me Up - Edingburgh. Oliver, the Yorkshire Evening Posts respected Restaurant Critic visited us earlier this month.
"IT'S RARE enough for any restaurant to get a visit from a critic – and I can only imagine the panic that would have spread through the kitchen at Sukhothai a couple of Saturday nights ago if they'd known that there were actually two on the premises".
"Because as we were being shown to our table I was accosted by the respected Yorkshire Post food critic Bob Cockroft who was dining out with another senior YP journalist and their respective wives."
"But in a way, the fact he chooses to eat here on his night off, and when the accounts department aren't footing the bill, is a greater endorsement than any number of his column inches."
"Because a visit to Sukhothai is always a pleasure – as the many Chapel Allerton locals who have made this their restaurant of choice will certainly attest. It offers genuine, spicily delicious Thai food along with a great atmosphere and some really attentive service – and it is testament to its lasting popularity than ever since it expanded its floor area to take in the shop next door, Sukhothai always seems to be full. Booking is very much recommended."
To read the review in full please visit here
READ THE FULL REVIEW
Sukhothai Restauarant has been nominated in the Yorkshire Evening Posts Nightlife Awards. The awards celebrate the chosen top venues in various categories ranging from best nightclub to best Hotel. The five finalsits in each category have been selected by the number of votes receievd by YEP readers. Sukhothai have been nominated in the "Best Restaurant out side of Leeds City centre" category. The Leeds, Live it, Love it web site say the following "Right in the heart of Chapel Allerton you'll find Sukhothai, the best Thai restaurant in Leeds, Yorkshire and maybe even the UK. It opened in April 2002, and has recently expanded. It is always busy, so booking is necessary. And the take-away is just as popular. This place really does have the lot: great food, great service, great atmosphere and great prices." To view the Leeds, Live it, Love it web site go to www.leedsliveitloveit.com "Those in the know already count Sukhothai in Chapel Allerton as one of their favourites, but if you tend not to venture further than the city you are missing out on a real treat. My friend and I were lucky enough to indulge in the culinary delights of this little gem on a busy Saturday night and it was a treat worth shouting about. " "Each generous portion was freshly cooked and tasted superb. Each dish was clearly prepared using high quality traditional Thai ingredients, cooking techniques and a lot of love. Every morsel was absolutely delicious - certainly the best Thai food I have ever tasted!" "For a truly fabulous taste of the Far East (and with the added bonus of plenty more room following an extensive expansion), Sukhothai will not disappoint. Full compliments to the chef!"
Outside event Catering Service now Available
We are delighted to announce that our mobile kitchen and outside catering service is now available and fully operational.
GOOD FOOD GUIDE 2008
Oliver vists Headingley
On the 29th November 2007, Sukhothai Headingley was reviewed in the Yorkshire Evening Post.
To read the review in full please visit here
READ THE FULL REVIEW
Best Restaurant in Leeds
Leeds Restaurant Awards exist to recognise the best in the industry and congratulate them on a job well done.
Sukhothai now open in Headingley
Sukhothai are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the Dynasty Restaurant on St Annes Road, Headingley. The Headingley restaurant has undergone an extensive renovation to bring the decor and ambience in line with the Chapel Allerton restaurant. The food and service will be consistent with the high standards set in Chapel Allerton, and the menu content is identical.
The Times April 2007
Sukhothai have again been featured in The Times Newspapers' guide to the best 10 Thai restaurants in the UK.
What the article said.
"Enjoy the full on flavour of Thailand with our guide to the best of its food nationwide".
"A couple of miles from Leeds City Centre lies Chapel Allerton, with its growing community of neighbourhood restaurants. Among them is this pleasing Thai restaurant. The interior design is spare and modern, but the menu is much more elaborate. It runs to more than 175 dishes, and the cooking is swiftly executed. Stir fried noodles with eggs, beansprouts, carrot, spring onion, peanuts and prawn is typical in its delicacy of presentation. Service comes with smiling courtesy and there is an atmosphere of peaceful well being."
Lunch @ Sukhothai
We are now open for lunch from Tuesdays to Sundays in both restaurants from 12 pm - 3pm. With the recent expansion, you can now spend the afternoon relaxing by our waterfall, and enjoy light thai snacks or one of our freshly made speciality coffees and a selection of delicious desserts.
Now Open 7 Days a week
Due to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that the restaurant and take away service is now available on Monday nights too.
Open now - New larger and improved dining area
Over the last few months, visitors to the restaurant have been completing a survey card, where we have asked customers what they felt could be improved at Sukhothai.
Although the majority of the completed cards stated that no improvements were neccessary (thank you) - other cards suggested that we improve the available toilet facilities, create a bigger reception area, and try to give a little more space between the tables.
Hardens 2007
Sukhothai are honoured to have been included and highly rated in the Hardens’ 2005, 2006 and 2007 UK Restaurant Guides. Hardens’ are renowned for telling it how it is; they are not swayed by big names or previous reputations. Not many restaurants out side of London are included in the guide, and interestingly some other well known Leeds restaurants that were included did not fare too well.
Hardens UK Restaurant Guide 2007 say: - In Chapel Allerton, a "recently extended little gem, where the Thai food is consistently fantastic and the service is prompt and friendly."
Itchy Guide Review August 2006
Chapel Allerton may not be the first place that springs to mind when searching for authentic
Thai cuisine, but Sukhothai has been gathering itself quite the reputation. We sent Antony Davies down to see what’s wok.
The Times April 2006
Sukhothai have been featured in The Times Newspapers' guide to the 10 Top Thai restaurants in the U.K.
Yorkshire Evening Posts Review March 2006
Nightlife Awards
Leeds, Live it, Love it
Leeds Guide Restaurant Review
The review was published in the January 11th 2006 Leeds Guide magazine. Please find below some quotes from the review.
Metro Restaurant Review
The review was published in the Metro Newspaper on January 11th 2006.Please find below some quotes from the review.
"The way the place works is an object lesson to more ostentatious restaurateurs: Sukhothai provides peaceful, elegant surroundings and food cooked with the finest ingredients, served with grace and care by the front of house staff in their beautiful traditional outfits.."
"At the end of last year Sukhothai reopened after a refurbishment that expanded its capacity to over 70 covers, and increased its menu to a generous 157 dishes. Visually the expansion works well, transforming the light dining area into a more open space. The restaurant's trademark style contributes towards an ambience at once serene and contemporary, with white walls enhanced by stunning Thai artefacts."
"The feast that our main courses comprised Pla Yang, a whole sea bass rubbed with chilli, lime leaves and lemon grass before being wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled, was piscine perfection, the soft flesh impregnated with flavours redolent of the East. Gang Massaman Gung was a rich king prawn curry with a sauce given an earthly quality by the inclusion of peanuts and potatoes. And while the crab claws and vegetables in our stir fried Pad Pong Galee were moreish in themselves the dish's softly textured yellow sauce, judiciously sweetened with condensed milk, lifted it into the realm of manna from heaven"
Hardens UK National Restaurant Guide 2006
An anonymous restaurant critic visited the restaurant recently, shortly after it reopened at the end of September and was obviously impressed. Sukhothai are now honoured to have been included and highly rated in both Hardens’ 2005 and 2006 UK Restaurant Guides. Hardens’ are renowned for telling it how it is; they are not swayed by big names or previous reputations. Not many restaurants out side of London are included in the guide, and interestingly some other well known Leeds restaurants that were included did not fare too well. Hardens UK Restaurant Guide 2006 say: - “Sukhothai – a fantastic, out of the way purveyor of simple cuisine, which offers the best Thai food around Leeds” .
For further information on Hardens please visit www.hardens.com
Included in the TOP 10 Leeds Take Aways
Sukhothai are pleased to have been included in the Leeds Guides Top 10 take aways in Leeds. The list included all the established types of take away foods such as indian, pizzas, burgers, chinese, sandwiches and snacks and traditional fast food establishments renowned for offering good high quality meals available to take away. With over 1000 take away meal providers in and surrounding the Leeds area, everyone at Sukhothai are extremeley proud to be acknowledged as being one of the TOP 10 in Leeds. All of our take away dishes are prepared and cooked by Bans' team of talented chefs who cook our acclaimed restaurant meals. To download a copy of our current take away menu please click the link on the top of this page.
Bigger and Better
Sukhothai restaurant in Chapel Allerton re-opend on the 28th September 2005 after its recent expansion and extensive restaurant and kitchen refit. Sukhothai are now able to offer comfortable dining for over 70 people. The restaurant isn't the only expansion. The menu has also increased and now offers over 157 authentic Thai dishes, all expertly created and cooked to order by our Head Chef Ban and her critically acclaimed team of chefs. All of our dishes are prepared freshly and cooked to order, and therefore we are able to prepare dishes to your individual taste or dietary requirements.
Enjoy Authentic Thai Beer to take away
With the new licensing laws, Sukhothai are now able to sell wines and beers with all take away orders. Enjoy an ice cold Singha Beer or Chang Lager, or select a bottle of wine from our comprehensive wine list.
The Sugarvine.com Review
Whether you’re a convert or a dedicated follower of fashionable temples of fine food, you may leave Sukhothai with visions of returning before too long. Most do it seems, and one could well imagine further growth for the restaurant or thoughts of creating yet more centres of culinary inspiration. But then that would be getting away from the essentially simple philosophy that both Ban and Gerrard have gently developed. Sukhothai, literally translated as the dawn of happiness, grows ever brighter. READ THE FULL REVIEW
Sukhothai In The Press
Sukhothai has won high critical acclaim from regional press, national media, a TV station, food critics and restaurant guide web sites
Sugarvine.com "You can expect authentic Thai cuisine (the best in Yorkshire?) served in comfortable, intimate surroundings"
Restaurant-Guide.com said "Sukhothai (Dawn of Happiness is an accurate translation) is a place to watch as the sheer goodness of their cuisine, which sets new standards for its kind, makes its mark"
Northnights.co.uk said "the food and ambience of this intimate gem of a restaurant is sure to put a grin on the punters' faces"
Northside said "Think Flying Pizza on a Saturday night and you have the Thai equivalent here. Yummy"
Metro said "In Sukhothai's interpretation each individual flavour shines through clearly, enhanced by perfectly judged use of herbs and spices. All the ingredients are cooked with skill and speed. Suberb"
Yorkshire Post Robert Cockroft food critic, "Simply Yum. The cooking is arresting from start to finish, bright lively, fresh, fragrant and helium light in effect"
Yorkshire Evening Post Oliver awarded 17/20 16 = very good. 20 = excellent
