Review of Sabai Thai restaurant

Spicy seafood salad at Sabai Thai in Brighton

I’m a sucker for the kitchens of Asia with Thai food being one of my faves, writes Nick Mosley.

Thailand is a big country so although there is a quintessential essence across dishes naturally there’s also a lot of regional diversity. I tend to think the further south you go the spicier the dishes get but what makes Thai food particularly unique is its balance of flavours.

Sure there’s heat from spicy chillies and the punch of zingy lime but its the use of fresh herbs – rather than purely blended spices – and typically coconut milk – rather than cream or tomato bases – that give it a uniquely light and fresh edge over the food of its neighbours.

And – as we eat with our eyes as much as our palates – Thai food always looks deliciously colourful. You can almost see the flavours in the dishes.

There must be at least 30 Thai restaurants across Brighton and Hove, and I know that everyone will have their favourite whether for a sit-down restaurant meal or for a takeaway or home delivery. After all, Thai food undoubtably travels well without losing any of its flavour or eye-popping presentation.

I have a personal soft spot for Sabai located alongside Royal Pavilion Gardens in the centre of Brighton. Unbelievably – in my mind at least – they opened 17 years ago and the ever-hospitable Wilawan is still steering the ship. Now I’ve always known Wilawan by her chosen nickname Gina so I’m going with the latter as it feels a bit strange to me to call her otherwise.

Possibly the friendliest and most welcoming restaurateur in the city, Gina’s commitment to providing authentic Thai cooking and wonderful hospitality has never wavered, and she can rustle up a pretty mean cocktail or two which always ticks a box for me. Her spicy mojito always hits the spot.

A month or so back, Gina was recognised at a ceremony at the Thai Embassy in London and presented an award by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the prime minister of Thailand, to acknowledge her longstanding commitment to sharing authentic Thai cuisine and celebrating Thai culture in the UK. Very well deserved.

My last Argus visit was back in 2022 so I thought it was high time to swing by again. What particularly caught my eye was the Lunch Special menu which is available every day from noon-until the mid afternoon. Priced at £12.95 for one course, £17.95 for two or £20.95 for three, its very accessibly priced and offers an impressive number of options.

I invited my sister along for a catch-up so we got the conversation flowing with – of course – the aforementioned mojito and delved into the menu.

Selection of starters at Sabai Thai in Brighton

To start, I had the spicy Tom Yum soup – and boy was it spicy. Also there was no skimping on the vegetables with hearty halves of mushroom, florets of broccoli, carrot, beansprouts and more. I think next time I’ll go for the somewhat milder Tom Kha coconut soup though.

My sister enjoyed barbecued chicken skewers with a peanut dip. Satay is always a crowd-pleaser and this dish was no exception. A perfect starter snack on a summers day.

With Thai food being so easy to share, you can ask for side plates so you can sample a bit of everything.

Although I specifically wanted sample the great value lunch menu, I couldn’t resist also ordering the deep fried tempura prawns in rice paper as an extra dish as its one of my all-time top ten faves and something my partner cooks for me at home, as and when I can on occasion twist his arm. Delightfully light crispy batter coating meaty shrimp with a sweat chilli sauce, it was utter food heaven.

For main, we shared a spicy salad of shrimp, mussels and calamari rings alongside chicken jungle curry with an accompanying bowl of rice. Again, the salad is a great choice for a summers day – light yet packed with fresh flavours. The quality of the seafood was definitely up-there too. Jungle curry is another spicy dish – and Sabai’s delicious recipe was again packed with ingredients. With the help of the rice we eagerly polished it off, despite the heat.

Unfortunately there wasn’t room for dessert but if I’d had space – and another hole in my belt – then the deep fried vanilla ice cream with honey and raspberry sounded right up my street.

As a mum, Gina is also aware that little ones may not have the most adventurous of palates when it comes to big flavours so has highlighted on the menu some child-friendly options.

Thai food is naturally an easy choice for those wanting vegetarian and vegan dishes, or have gluten intolerance. Other allergies – including peanut – can be catered for but as always its best to call ahead to discuss your specific requirements with the kitchen.

Obviously there is also an extensive a la carte menu, and I can’t fail to mention that from noon - 4pm from Sunday to Friday there’s also a tapas-style menu with four dishes priced at £25… perfect to share with a friend for a mid-shopping refuel, or a colleague if you can skive off work.

If you live in Brighton then you don’t need to go miles to enjoy the very best cuisine from the ‘Land of Smiles’.

Sabai, Princess House, 165-169 Prince’s Place, Brighton BN1 1EA

01273 773 030 • www.sabaibrighton.co.uk