Mango Tree Thai Restaurant in Belgravia

Review: Mango Tree Thai Restaurant – Belgravia:

Taking a drinks writer to a restaurant with a superb cocktail bar must be the diametric opposite of taking a pescatarian to an Argentinian restaurant.  And so, having taken the Hedonist with me to Zoilo it was only right and proper that I should take Simon from by-invitation to Mango Tree.  However, perhaps I also need to remember that one cocktail at lunchtime, before I eat is QUITE enough for me no matter how wonderful it might be.  Mango Tree is one of a small group of restaurants, the original is in Bangkok and they also have food bars in Harrods.  But, it’s not somewhere I’d heard of or been to before.

The Thai cocktails were very good and I have no regrets about having two, because after all life is for living.  I particularly liked the pretty signature cocktail – Mango Tree Fizz which is a layers champagne cocktail with amaretto, fresh mango juice, champagne and a cocktail cherry.

By the time we’d  sat down to eat, I was very hungry and very pleased to have a pretty pot of Thai crackers to nibble.

I ordered Hoy Shell scallops in a spicy Thai sauce to start, which was fabulous, with rich sticky sauce covering very tender scallops,  followed by grilled king prawns, goong pow – fresh giant king prawns grilled with garlic and served with green salad and spicy lime sauce.

Both were fabulous, although relatively simple dishes that perhaps were not the best showcase for the restaurant’s kitchen.

My companion’s Thai beef salad was tender and well seasoned.  Perhaps a bit more a chef-showcase than the dishes I chose

And his lobster (goong mung korn with ginger and spring onion sauce) certainly was eye-catching – staring back at me rather regretfully across the table…

Now, somehow he still had space for a mango crème Brulee which arrived with two pistachio and almond biscotti.  So I stole a biscotti, which was nicely biscuity and crisp without being overly hard.

Our choice of food perhaps wasn’t ideal if we’d wanted to see how authentic or otherwise Mango Tree is, but, since neither of us is experts perhaps that’s a good thing?  Our main criticism of the meal was that the cutlery didn’t really make life easy.  But the service was charming and unhurried and the fish was beautifully fresh

A lovely lunch in an area of London where it can be hard to find somewhere good to eat at a sensible price.  Mango Tree has a choice of set menus and three a la carte dining menus, with menus started at under £20 for three courses.

Disclaimer: We dined as guests of the restaurant

Mango Tree
46 Grosvenor Place
Belgravia, Victoria, London SW1X 7EG