Thai Journey, Godshill

Newton’s Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. And we surmise that this even applies to the yin-yang of the local restaurant scene. So, in the same month in which Shanklin’s Thai Mukda received a damning report from environmental health inspectors, (subsequently closing its doors for good), a new Thai restaurant – Thai Journey – sprang up in Godshill.

How could we resist a visit, particularly with our ardent fans like IW County Press commenter Mark Swanne clamouring for us to try it? He was so excited by the prospect that he took the trouble to breathlessly proclaim, “Fantastic news and a real shot in the arm for Gods Hill. Could be a real ‘go to’ for foodies on the Island! Just keep Matt & Cat away. Lolz.” Everyone’s a critic, dearie.

It’s easy to see how Godshill has been charming visitors for decades, with that picture-postcard street scene and the wonderful Model Village. Its reputation as the cream tea capital of the Island was justly deserved, but when the Taverners repositioned itself as a gastropub, and Tansy’s Pantry (although now closed) brought vegan cuisine to the locality, it became quite the foodie destination. A new stop on the route is Thai Journey, adding to the village’s culinary diversity.

On entering, we discovered a venue packed with groups of happy diners. Without a booking we were lucky to get one of the last places; an intimate table by the door, away from the main thrum.

We’ve written before about the homogeneity of Asian restaurants, but when the venue is a historic building in a quaint location, you can be sure by default that it will be a bit different. And that is what we also discovered with the menu; at first glance full of our Thai favourites, but clearly with a creative take.

We started with ocean soup. The bowl was so full of assorted seafood that the contents rose out of the broth like a kraken, gaining extra height with a sprig of coriander. The dish was created with plenty of herbs, each with its own bold flavour: lemongrass, ginger, limes leaves and galangal, plus lemon juice and chilli. The immediate effect of the spicy liquor was that it was much hotter than anticipated – it was all happening, right from that first glorious mouthful. We used a small ladle to deliver a decent mixed portion with each scoopful. Here’s a piece of soft squid, alongside meaty king prawns. Some fishy bits to tempt the palate. Mussels in their shells sharing space with creamy button mushrooms. Bobbing alongside were sundry vegetables, pak choi and red peppers, all infused with that invigorating herby fusion.

Our other starter was a side dish of tofu and cashews. Tofu is a test of any chef’s mettle and, at Thai Journey, this sometimes bland and inconsequential ingredient turned out to be quite the opposite. It was nicely smoked and its spongy texture absorbed the dish’s tasty gravy; releasing a complicated umami flavour. Flash-fried nutty cashews, fresh peppers and spring onions added to the texture pleasure. But it was that incredible sauce which kept us coming back for more and, despite intending to leave some to accompany the main, we ate the lot.

Thai massaman chicken curry is a firm favourite with us. Here the Southern Thai curry was mild, yet supremely aromatic, with those scorched cashews again. Big hunks of potato shared the honours with chunks of chicken in a coconut and tamarind sauce; a warm flavour, which was not spicy hot. It was utterly delicious.

Our other main was Gai Pad Priew Wan, or sweet and sour battered chicken. The first taste elicited a distinct ‘wow’. The sauce had a tangible honey note. But, as the meal went on, that thick and heavy honey dominated, even when moderated with the accompanying coconut rice and stir fried vegetables. Despite those first delighted mouthfuls, eventually it was a little too much.

Nonetheless, the overall impression of our savoury courses was a distinct thumbs up, so we went in for round three: puddings. Who’s not going to try a dessert called ‘wonder ball’? At first glance, this brilliantly-named sweet of fried ice cream was the Thai cousin to baked Alaska. Crispy filo pastry took the place of the aforementioned’s meringue jacket, and it was a good substitution. We expected the ball to be a tad hotter on the outside, but nonetheless, it was an enjoyable indulgence.

The green pancake was well… a green pancake. A strange unsweet dessert, but not savoury either. The soft rolled pancakes were sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with coconut ice cream, which was quite shreddy and flavoursome under its raspberry beret. But those pancakes tho! The greenness came from the fragrant pandan leaf. This stock Asian ingredient had been used not only in the yielding pancake, but also its velvety custard centre. The overall texture was melt-your-mouth. An unusual yet delectable end to the meal.

So, what to make of our journey into the Godshill restaurant’s version of Thai food. We enjoyed extremely slick and charming service, in an attractive and homely environment. The food was really above par; familiar dishes were given a considerable edge with creative flavours and no scrimping on ingredients. We even liked the sexy black dessert spoons.

Of course, Thai Journey has done the tourist industry of its motherland a disservice – why would we want to travel all the way to Thailand now, when we can get this standard of Thai cuisine on the Isle of Wight!

This is the full-length version of a review that was printed in the Isle of Wight County Press.

01983 645550
https://www.thaijourneyrestaurant.com/