“Onto a winner”: May’s Thai, Childwall, reviewed

I think it’s fair to say that footballers aren’t necessarily known for their taste.

From Balotelli’s camouflaged Bentley to the United players’ 2005 night out in a sea of ​​bootcut jeans, I doubt you’ll be seeing the likes of Wayne Rooney visiting GQ anytime soon.

But what about when it comes to food?

May’s Thai Childwall has been open for 18 months now and has already attracted the holy trinity of arguably Liverpool players of the past; Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Kenny Dalglish.

Stewart Downing aside, it seems King Kenny knows quality when he sees it, so I made a trip to Childwall to see what the fuss was about.

May Thailand can be found in one of those shopping parades you see all over the English suburbs, which do a fantastic job of leveling the character of the individual units. Fortunately, May’s Thai is a handsome outfit both inside and out, and is a good example of how to get it right the first time, the room feels both homey but comfortable enough to wear your best shirt.

I stopped for lunch, the perfect excuse to try the set menu; two courses £15.95. I’m increasingly of the opinion that set menus are a true reflection of a restaurant’s character; A good a la carte is a balance of offering people what they want but also what they don’t know they want, while a fixed menu seems to ensure that customers try what you know they do best.

This is what happened when I took my seat and settled down to look at the menu. I was pretty sure I knew where I was starting, but the server immediately said, “You have to try the fishcakes”. You are right. It’s fish cakes.

I’m definitely not a fan of western fishcakes, all that breadcrumbs around a greasy potato wedge, leeks oozing out like a crime scene. But the Thai take on them is one of my favorite appetizers, how much it counters all that extra bread. Minced chicken and fish with Thai herbs and spices, roughly shaped and fried until halved and set, ready to be dunked in a sweet chili (or plum) sauce.

These did not disappoint, he recommended correctly and I was glad I read his words. They were well seasoned giving enough room for the herbs and spices that make these things more than just a steak, with hints of lemongrass and spring onion lifting the quality minced meat. I arrived greedy and estimated that the plate took three minutes to prepare.

The main section had all the hits, lots of appeal (massaman curry, Tom Yum and Tom Kha Gai soups, pad Thai), but when a restaurant screams about a dish, it deserves a try.

I opted for the “May’s Famous Holy Basil Sauce” with chicken and jasmine rice topped with a lovely round egg, an ideal Thai entree in my book.

I’ve argued with holy basil a lot when cooking for myself (which happens, you know). Pad Kra Pao is a home cooked food killer; ground pork, fish sauce and holy basil do things to the taste buds that I think few kitchens can do. But I never think of the Holy Basilica as the focal point. That’s why I had to try this dish.

Again, I can see why they’ve put this at the top of the online stream and given it a bit of fanfare; it is a very good dish. The sauce sang with holy basil, it’s anise punch that comes through loud and clear, accompanied by a very healthy dose of chilli and a wonderful ballast of well-cooked onions.

It’s well organized to boot. Not that this is necessarily the most important thing, but when you can put the sauce on the plate and keep coming back for more, it’s a particularly pleasant way to enjoy the food. I think I convinced myself about three times that I was full, but I went back for another dose. Chili is known to have an addictive quality, but I’d argue that holy basil can get you hooked just as much.

With all that money and free time, soccer players can be canaries in the mine shaft of new restaurants. Look at the cover of the diamond envelope opening and you can be sure you’ll see at least one ribbon padded from head to toe in Represent. But we can’t all get it right all the time.

In this case, Jamie, Steven and King Kenny have struck, if not gold, then something pretty close.

May’s Thai, 4 Childwall Abbey Rd, Liverpool L16 0JN