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Zen Dining, Court Lane, Durham City
Wow! Give me five minutes while I try to find the words to describe how good the meal I ate at Zen Dining was.
I can honestly say it was the best Thai curry I've eaten outside Thailand.
From the moment my mum and I arrived at the restaurant, tucked down Court Lane, in Durham City Centre, we were transported to another world.
Bamboo plants, flowering orchids and statues of Buddha mixed with incense and candlelight set the mood beautifully.
Modern, deep red lighting covers the walls and ceilings, giving the dining area and bar a stylish, contemporary feel.
Even on a Monday night the place was packed, so booking is advised at any time and at least two weeks in advance if you want a table at the weekend.
Because we hadn't booked we had a bit of a wait, but we enjoyed a white wine spritzer at the bar before being taken to our table. And the staff were charming.
For starters we ordered the Zen Luxe platter, 9.95, consisting of spicy stuffed crab claws, duck satay, salt and pepper squid, Singha battered king prawns and steamed dumplings, which was presented beautifully in a bamboo steam basket.
Every morsel was absolutely delicious and I especially enjoyed the crab claws and dumplings, neither of which I would normally order.
For the main course my mum Paula ordered the traditional Thai green curry with chicken, 11.50, and I ordered the jumbo prawn red curry with chilli jam, 16.50.
Every mouthful was an utter delight and neither of us could believe how good it all tasted. Even the rice, plain old rice, was superb.
Portions are large so we had no room left for dessert and couldn't even squeeze in a coffee. But we really enjoyed our evening in the relaxed, but vibrant atmosphere, a world away from the North East of England.
I'm looking forward to coming back to Zen Dining to try out the lunchtime menu, where the selection looks just as mouthwatering and meals start from a very reasonable 6.95.
I also, as promised, want a ride in the restaurant's very own tuk-tuk, which is parked outside.
JESSICA FORSTER
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Friday 10 February 2012
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