After a long wait, we finally have a Thai restaurant in the heart of the city. Giggling Squid opens its door on the 10th of February in St Martins Square. With 100 covers, the restaurant is here to give customers an enjoyable experience in a relaxed, yet contemporary environment.
A bit of history
Pranee Laurillard and her husband Andrew founded Giggling Squid. It started in 2002 in a small cottage in Brighton and now has 34 other restaurants in the UK.
The simple, rustic and fresh Thai food is cooked by master Thai chefs. Most of their cuisine is from central Thailand, so not so spicy however the chefs can add some heat if you want.
Ambiance
The pastel green walls blend well with floral decorations. If you are lucky and book early you can sit in one of their floral booths.
Pranee has previously said she wanted “an energetic, informal, adventurous food scene” and that is the vibe I got when I was at Giggling Squid.
The staff are all friendly, upbeat and knowledgeable. On the evening they were keen to ensure we enjoyed the experience.
Food
The Thai Tapas concept is simple and rustic. Giggling Squid wants you to enjoy your meal, share the food and have a great experience. All food is cooked by master Thai chefs.
On the evening I managed to speak to Pranee (who is so down to earth and passionate). She confirmed their flavours are based around Central Thailand, so much milder than the other regions. However, if you want some heat, you just need to ask the chefs. She also confirmed they have a Vegan menu and cater for different diets too.
My first impressions of the food (based on the canapes I tried)..simply delicious and to the standard, I was hoping it to be.
Golden Coins: These were definitely a bag of gold..bursting with flavour, all wrapped in a golden crisp pastry. These are currently not on the menu (but were on their Christmas menu) and because of their popularity are back in March.
Salt and Pepper Squid: A perfect crispy coating, covers the fresh squid which is flavoured with salt & pepper. The canapes were garnished with spring onions and a sweet chilli sauce. This is their best seller and it is clear why.
Sweet Sticky Pork Belly: Flavoured with a rare pepper, a bite of this only makes you want more. The pork belly was tender and had the correct consistency.
Satay Chicken: Deliciously grilled chicken skewers, flavoured with coconut milk and lemongrass, served with pickled vegetables and peanut sauce..these were served in cute boats and were so tasty. The chicken was cooked well too.
On the evening there were vegetarian dishes but I was quite full on the above I gave them a miss. We did some fizz, beer and wine to wash down the delicious canapés. I look forward to trying the drinks from their cocktail menu – the Mango Chilli Mosquito sounds right up my street.
Thank you Giggling Squid for inviting me to the VIP evening. I cannot wait to return for a meal and to share my experiences.
Giggling Squid opens its doors on the 10th of February.
Giggling Squid
Unit 3-5 St Martin’s Square Leicester LE1 5DF
Tel: 0116 251 9999
Email: leicester@gigglingsquid.com
Neha
x
Disclaimer: I was invited to the preview evening however all opinions and photos are my own unless stated otherwise.
Giggling Squid is a bit of a go-to for our work socials – perfect for a group outing!
The nearest Giggling Squid to me is in Salisbury, and even if I go there quite often, I didn’t make it to the restaurant yet. I like that their food is simple but flavorsome. I do love small portions that you can share, like tapas style in Spain.
The decor here is beautiful. I bet it really adds to the atomsphere of the place. The food also looks delicious.
It looks like they’ve really got it all covered x
I love Thai food but haven’t had it in ages. The menu sounds great, definitely worth a visit soon!
I’m a big fan of tapas style things as I love trying loads of different dishes and not feeling like I’m missing out. These ones sound tasty x
Great review, ive eaten at my local giggling squid, if im honest ive had an up and down experience, but the food has generally been excellent, and is one of my favourite thai places.
What a beautiful restaurant, the décor is so lovely! The food looks delicious too and its great that chefs are able to cater for vegans, dietary needs and even add some extra spice too!
We have a couple of these restaurants near us but not had a chance to visit them yet, after reading this I dont think it will be too long before we do x
We love tapas dates . This place looks incredible!! Scott loves squid so would definitely be up for going here for a little getaway without the kiddies
Thai being my favorite food of all, I’m so glad we have Giggling Squid in Leicester. A fab addition and looking forward to many visits here.
Such beautiful decor, and the food looks amazing. I love the story behind the growth of this restaurant chain, what a wonderful success story.
I’ve heard good things from friends who’ve visited their local Giggling Squid so I am going to have to see if there is one near me. The food looks absolutely incredible!
Giggling Squid looks like such a great place to go to eat – that food looks amazing! How exciting that you attended the launch!
Tapas can be a nice way to eat and try a range of different things too. Looks like you had an amazing time xx
Oh I love Thai food! Love the interiors too, those booths are great.
Wow the food looks incredible, I love Thai food and keep hearing about Giggling Squid but haven’t managed to make it to one yet. Really must change that this year.