Colourful tuk-tuks, photographic murals depicting scenes from a lively market and a battered old tourist bus all add to the illusion you have been transported to Bangkok. Thai statues greet diners as they enter and overhead, hanging from the ceiling, are neon advertising signs for Singha beer and Coca-Cola.
Enticing smells emanate from the open kitchen on the left and a diverse menu offers an array of authentic street food. Zaap has been in the old Co-op building on Newgate Street in Newcastle city centre for almost nine years and has proved extremely popular.
A visit has been on the to-do list for some time but I finally ticked it off after an enjoyable meal one chilly Sunday lunchtime with my two children, neither of whom have tried this cuisine before.
We were giving a warm welcome shortly after the doors opened at noon and it was not long before more people started arriving. Perhaps the Thai tapas offer of three dishes for £15 was too good to resist?
We thought it was a good value for our starters and before long I was enjoying Gra Dook Moo, or braised pork spare ribs in black bean sauce, which would otherwise have set me back £8.25. Sticky and messy, the gooey sauce was a joy and the meat so tender it fell off the bone.
My son, who is 12, adored his Peek Gai Tod, or Thai deep fried chicken wings, which were chunky and full of flavour without being overpowering. My daughter, 14, a pescatarian, chose the edamame pods with salt, which came piled high in a huge bowl.
She quickly happily nibbled away on them but truth be told I found them a little bland considering the wide range of other options. Her main, however, was a triumph.
Gang Ped, or red curry to you and me, made with tofu, came served with fragrant Jasmine rice and was the perfect blend of spices in a silky cream sauce without being too hot. I cannot stop thinking about how much I enjoyed my Pad See Aew, stir fried noodles with a street food version of a recipe originating from Malaysia and Singapore. Made with egg in dark and sweet soy sauce, I chose to have it with beef and it was truly fantastic.
Both mains were £13.95 and good value, so too was Bangkok Platter at £16, chosen by my son on the proviso he shared a few bits with us. We got to sample the chewy steamed pork and prawn dumplings, crispy vegetable spring rolls, delicious chicken satay with peanut sauce and moreish chicken gyoza as well as spicy Thai fish cakes giant prawn crackers.
Like a picky tea, it was a great way to try lot of little pieces and introduce the kids’ palates to something new. Service throughout from our Thai waitresses was fast, efficient and friendly and they were more than happy to take time to explain things from the menu and tweak dishes so they were not too spicy.
With just enough room left for pudding I decided to try something new myself and went for a Glouy Tod, deep fried sliced banana in sweet crispy batter, which came with scoop of coconut ice cream. Overly indulgent, yes, but also incredible. My son’s Pandan Pancake raised eyebrows when it arrived as we were not expecting it to come out green, or be filled with green custard, but there you go. Everyday is a school day.
My daughter’s mango sorbet was pretty much as expected but no less enjoyable for it. With desserts coming in at just over a fiver each we thought these too offered very good value.
Zaap is part of a chain with six other restaurants across the county, the latest in the North East opened in Durham last year. If our visit was anything to go by it is not hard to see why it has become so popular. With a bucket list trip to Thailand currently wishful thinking, we might have to scratch that itch with a return visit.
Zaap, The Gate, 117 Newgate St, Newcastle, NE1 5RZ
0191 230 1280
RATINGS
Food quality: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Service: 5/5
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