A new Thai restaurant is set to open in Cardiff city centre, bringing with it bright and colourful interiors, bold flavoured tapas and an array of creative cocktails.
Giggling Squid, an almost 50-strong chain of Thai restaurants, plans to open its first Welsh outpost in Cardiff’s St David’s shopping centre towards the end of 2022. And the chain already plans to follow it up with a second Cardiff restaurant, with details yet to be confirmed.
Read more: 11 of the best places to eat Thai food in Cardiff
Well known for their social media friendly interiors, Giggling Squid was founded in 2002 by husband and wife team Pranee and Andy Laurillard. They came up with the idea in the basement of a little fisherman’s cottage, which is now home to their Brighton Restaurant.
Pranee wanted to open a business with a different look and feel to many Thai restaurants, which often utilise carved wood, and create interiors which would wow people. Giggling Squid restaurants normally feature colourful wallpapers and gazebos adorned with flowers. Meanwhile, the unusual name Giggling Squid is a nickname for one of the couple’s children.
Co-owner Pranee grew up in a small fishing village on the banks of the Mekong in Thailand and lots of the restaurant's dishes are inspired by her childhood as well as her travels.
Dishes on the expansive menu, which is divided into tapas, starters, ‘from the water’, ‘from the land’, stir fries, curries and noodles include turmeric grilled squid with garlic, mah kwan pepper pork belly, and betel leaf, ginger and lime salmon.
‘From the water’ dishes include giant butterfly king prawn pad Thai and royal fishing boat curry with mussels, prawns, squid and salmon. ‘From the land’ that appear on the menu include confit duck with tangy tamarind sauce and lamb shank massaman curry with coconut milk, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.
Cocktails are also a big part of Giggling Squid’s offering, with drinks such as a mojito-style mango and chilli mosquito, a Thai-spresso martini with coconut coffee liqueur, and a Thai sabai made with rum and lime juice infused with Thai basil, all featuring on the menu.
Giggling Squid isn’t the only Thai chain to set up shop in Cardiff city centre lately. Busaba opened on Cardiff’s Caroline Street last year but our food writer was more impressed by a small Thai independent restaurant located just across the street. Rosa’s Thai , a chain with 28 restaurants, is also set to open on Church Street soon.
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