Restaurant Review - Aroi Kilkenny
Tuesday 19 April 2016
When Eddie Ong Chok Fong and his wife Jenny opened their Aroi street food eatery, in a small premises in Limerick two years ago, it proved an instant success. Their food was not only delicious but great value with prices from €3-€10. I bemoaned the fact at the time that they were in Limerick, saying I wish they were in Dublin! Well, they’re not yet in Dublin but I’m optimistic for they seem to be in a burgeoning burst having opened in Cork last year, which is temporarily closed due to a fire, and more recently in Kilkenny in the former Salt Yard tapas restaurant which failed to tap the right fandango for too long!
Chef Eddie, who is half Thai half Malaysian, grew up in the street food world of Bangkok, from a young age helping his mother and grandmother make noodle soups for the thousands of people flooding the streets of the city on bicycles heading to work. After school it was then back to work for him in the busy noisy kitchens of a restaurant. He not only has the food of South East Asia at his finger tips, but his wife Jenny is Chinese, so her influence is reflected to, plus he has worked in 5 Star hotels and is experienced also in French cuisine.
A lovely room with a high apex glass ceiling, they have created a more intimate feel than its predecessor with banquettes and booths and blend of industrial meets exotic lighting. Had the ethos been maintained and had the food travelled well from Limerick to Kilkenny we wondered. Mains have gone up to €11 but I guess we can stomach €1 increase over two years on what is still great value.
From what they call the ‘sides’ selection and what we generally think of as starters, we kicked off with satay gai (€5) which proved three well-endowed tasty and tender chicken skewers, under a blanket of delicious peanut sauce, sitting on a palm leaf. So far so good. Thai calamari (€5) were little crispy crunchy balls involving chilli, crushed peppercorns, lime leaves and ginger dressing. I’d had the calamari previously in Limerick and loved it. Here, while they were tasty, they were too crisped up and dry – you couldn’t taste the squid, so it was a bit like eating the kids’ Rice Krispie buns.
Moving on we ordered crabmeat fried rice, pad kei mao talay noodles and chargrilled duck all at €11 each. The fried rice dish was bursting with with great big king prawns amidst the subtle flavours of lime leaves, scallions, mangetout, sweet corn, broccoli, greenbeans and chilli. The noodles were also delicious with prawns, squid, mussels, Thai green peppercorn, basil, baby corn, keoteow and chilli, but the chargrilled duck was a melt in the mouth humdinger, tender, succulent, bathing a delicious tamarind sauce.
“It’s the busiest room in Kilkenny”, a woman declared to friends at a table as she came into the restaurant. She was probably right - it’s great value with tasty food in a lovely ambiance. I was fascinated also watching a local family with two very little girls who were wielding chopsticks as though born to them – no doubt looking forward to their gelato to follow – one scoop €2; two €3; three scoops €4. It’s certainly very user friendly for families.
Their drinks list features the de rigueur Prosecco plus a half dozen red and white wines plus Asian beers. They also have a good selection of soft drinks including sparkling organic ginger, cranberry; elderflower, and Fentimans Ginger Beer. With a bottle of Tiger beer for Brendan (€5) and a bottle of Aqua Panna for the driver, our bill with optional service came to €55.50.
Aroi
Friary Street,
Kilkenny.
Tel: (056) 770-3644
aroi.eu
lucindaosullivan.com
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT