Giggling Squid – Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (UK)

Giggling Squid is a chain of Thai restaurants located in affluent market towns. There are 20 restaurants and counting but it certainly doesn’t feel like a soulless corporate entity. Perhaps it’s because the story of their beginnings is a humble and endearing one. Andy and Pranee Laurillard came up with the concept of Thai Tapas Sets and opened their first restaurant in Brighton back in 2002. And if you’re wondering where the quirky name came from, it’s the nickname of one of their children.

It was only a matter of time before Giggling Squid came to the historic town of Bury St Edmunds and it’s a perfect fit. It has become massively popular so be sure to book.

The décor is simply stunning. Muted colours, gorgeous lighting and layered textures create a relaxing and welcoming ambience, complemented by friendly and helpful service.

Paulo and I popped in for dinner, so we missed their famous lunch time tapas (this will soon be corrected with a return visit). The evening menu was filled with tantalising dishes, some of them quite original, others more traditional but all reflecting their ethos of simple, rustic, fresh Thai food.

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Chilli Pesto Chicken Farfalle

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may have noticed that I have an obsession a preference for pasta with cream sauces. This is another one of those dishes! The chorizo and chicken in this dish go really well together. The creamy tomato pesto sauce tames the spiciness of the chorizo and red chillis. The result is a tasty dish with a velvety texture. I used Unearthed’s Chorizo de León, which is a Spanish oak-smoked cured pork sausage with a spicy kick. I find farfalle (bow tie) pasta suits this dish best but any short, sturdy pasta will do.

Farfalle15

Farfalle1

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Tortiglioni in a Rosé Sauce with Pancetta

This pasta dish is best with a short, sturdy pasta such as tortiglioni or rigatoni. The pancetta and onions flambéed in vodka infuse the sauce with extra flavour. If you are a flambé novice, you will soon get over your fear as this recipe is easy to make. The creamy tomato sauce works well with some spicy heat and you are in total control of how much chilli you wish to add to the dish.

Collage Tortiglioni

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