Optima Magazine

56 Victoria Road • Ruislip Manor • HA4 0AH • 01895 677730

Reviewed by Alan Cox

We really are spoiled for choice in the area when it comes to Asian cuisine, and in particular Thai – of which I am both a big fan and a real stickler when it comes to authenticity…

…and that’s more than just the food. I’m looking for that ‘escape’, that feeling of being temporarily transported to the Far East, to capture (for a couple of hours at least), the essence of Thailand through its fabulous food.

In search of the orient, I headed off last week not to the airport, more’s the pity, but to Ruislip Manor, to eat at Twin Boys, a well-established and, by all accounts, popular concern. The interior, with some splendid Thai artefacts and pictures is comfortable and bright, although a little nondescript. It cries out for a little more space, too, as the tables, decked in fresh white linen, are a little too close to each other for comfort.

Waiting staff in traditional dress and some authentic Thai music on the sound system would undoubtedly help the atmosphere, but when it comes down to the food this is where Twin Boys steps up. Thai cuisine is best with a diversity of tastes and textures to enjoy. The more variety the better and TBs has a menu and a team of chefs up to the challenge.

After a bowl of prawn crackers with chilli dip, a plate of mixed starters hits the spot: Chicken Satay, Thai Spring Rolls, Crispy Wontons, Sesame Prawn Toasts and Prawn Tempura (quite superb) arrive perfectly prepared and piping hot, with an array of dipping sauces. A good start, especially washed down with a refreshing Singha Beer.

To follow, a mix and match selection from the really quite extensive menu… Gaeng Massamun Gai – medium hot chicken curry with nutmeg, cinnamon, potatoes, onion & coconut milk; Goong Pao – Grilled Prawns served with a plum and a chilli sauce; Ped Pad Sapparod – Roast Duck with pineapple, fresh ginger & spring onions; Pad Thai – fried ribbon noodles with Chicken, Egg, Bean Sprouts & Ground Peanuts; Pad Ma Khua – Stir Fried Aubergine with Chillies & Basil Leaves… and a tiny little pot of Sticky Rice wrapped up (how odd!) in cling film.

The Chicken Curry is faultless and bursting with all the flavours I adore in Thai food. The Duck is equally impressive and the Aubergine dish proves to be a powerful and moreish contender in the ‘hot’ stakes. The sweet taste of the Pad Thai noodles (a particular favourite) is terrific, contrasting well in terms of both texture and taste to the hotter treats our taste buds are savouring.

As we wait for our dessert, there’s a constant flurry of customers either being seated or popping in to collect their takeaway. Despite the place being busy, though, I still would have like our table cloth cleared of the ‘debris’ left from the main course before we conclude. Thai isn’t the easiest of cuisines to serve or eat tidily, and the residual rice and curry stains are an offputting accompaniment to our sweet choices: sliced coconut wrapped in a Pandan Leaf Pancake topped with syrup and served with ice cream for myself, and a mango ice cream for my better half.

The ambience is rather more Hillingdon than Hua Hin, to be sure, but the taste is certainly authentic and unmistakably Thai with a capital T.

Starters: £4.25 to £5.75
Main courses: £6.95 to £12.50
Desserts: £3.95
House wine: £11.50/12.50