Chang Thai

Trying something new

I have always wanted to explore food further and try as many variations of meats and dishes possible.

During my time in Malta I have definitely been able to do this, and I have managed to explore a wide variation of food.

There is one experience however that sticks in my mind.

My friends and I were travelling to Café Del Mar located in St Paul’s Bay which as the north of the Malta island. Upon arriving there we saw its beautiful water front be harmonized with the setting sun and we could not wait to capture some beautiful photos, outside and inside. However, upon walking to the kind gentleman at Café Del Mar he informed us that there was an entrance fee into the venue, which none of us really could afford just at that moment.

So, we had to think of a plan B, that would allow us to explore this area of St Paul’s further. We had never really had the opportunity before to have a look around the area surrounding Café Del Mar, which thus gave us a prime opportunity to do so.

My friend is also working in Malta currently with a media company and he had wanted to get some video shots of the surrounding area. So, he used this opportunity as a means of retrieving some great footage to use for the company’s website. We walked down to the waterfront across the rocky beach area and admired the wonderful view. But, a thunderstorm was coming, so we quickly had to move from the area and into the town.

As a Brit, I always feel slightly embarrassed when I see other large groups of British tourists, mainly because they have a reputation to ruin some holiday destinations, by overwhelming the local area with our British traditions. We just so happened to walk down a road that was the essence of a cheap British holiday, quite disappointing to see as St Paul’s itself is very beautiful. One could see various football shirts with recognisable names printed along the back’s, with the beer bellies of typical British men.

I put my head down and pretended to be a local Maltese, looking to find a peaceful meal.

I already had a destination in mind, Chang Thai. This lovely restaurant would move us away from the bustling strip and into the more secluded back-end of the village, where it was much more peaceful. From looking at photos online, the restaurant looked like traditional Thai eatery and we were not disappointed.

I opted to sit inside, but my two ‘dates’ for the evening insisted that we sit outside. My logic of a thunderstorm + a holey outside covering equaling a disaster was quickly shot down.

A waiter came over to us straight away and handed us some very regal-looking menus. The extensive menu made it difficult to decide what one actually wanted to eat, as there was so much to choose from. The waiter then returned and asked us what we would like to drink. Due to the humidity and closeness in the air, I opted for water. Mine had gone par-boiled due to the heat, so a refreshing bottle would do the trick nicely.

The boys with me had chosen their food and were eagerly waiting for me to hurry myself, as it had been quite some time since we had eaten. I was torn between so many items but wanted to go for something a little more daring than usual.

We placed our orders and then came the downpour. I look at my friends sat opposite and gave them a smirk of ‘I was right, wasn’t I?’. They fully understood my message and we moved indoors.

The inside décor of the restaurant was typically and traditionally Thai. Wicker and bamboo were laden in every corner of the restaurant, with various elephant sculptures hiding among the shelves of traditional Thai pottery.

The waiter then brought us a bowl of prawn crackers with lashings of sweet chilli sauce to accompany. I must say, the crackers seemed slightly stale as they were somewhat bendy. Typically, fresh prawn crackers snap with the slightest touch, but these ones had a lot more give to them. Regardless, we ate them all and awaited our main courses.

The plates of greatly portioned food arrived before us. I had never really realised that Thai food is meant to be shared, as we were all given empty plates as to put a little bit of each meal on. Had we known this, we probably would have ordered separate meals.

My two friends opted for the same dish, Koong Pad Thai – a noodle dish accompanied with prawns. Pad Thai is normally a dish I tend to order, but being in a new country spurred me to try something different.

I ordered Ka Kob Pad Prig. In essence, frog’s legs.

This dish comprised of stir fried frog legs in a spicy chilli paste with garlic, basil & coconut milk. There were sautéed vegetables and a side salad that accompanied the dish. It looked and smelled marvellous.

Above: Ka Kob Pad Prig

Now, for the taste test. I had heard from many people that frog’s legs taste like chicken. They were not wrong. I would go as far to say that they were actually nicer than chicken wings / drumsticks. Although there obviously is nowhere near as much meat as that of a chicken wing or thigh, the texture and softness of the frog’s legs were remarkable. The chilli and coconut paste danced around the mouth. It was the perfect accompaniment to the meat.

I let the boys try some of the dish and they too were very pleasantly surprised. After hearing some stories of frog’s legs being bland and tasteless, I was very impressed with the taste and quality of the ones before me in Chang Thai.

The Paid Thai was also incredibly well made. The plate was piled high with soft noodles, prawns, beansprouts, peanut shavings and salad. The balance of flavours was beautiful, however, I feel that the prawns were slightly overcooked. As a lover of seafood, I am pretty well educated on the correct texture for a perfectly cooked prawn. Never the less, the dish was beautifully prepared and did not take long to arrive.

The price of my dish was slightly steep, however, for the quality of the food and the service we received, it was worth every penny. The Ka Kob Pad Prig would cost you €14 and a bottle of water is €1.50. So, €15.50 for a meal I would say is pretty well priced.

I loved the authenticity of this restaurant and it had a wonderfully calm and relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is pretty big as it has seated tables and also a more traditional seating area where customers can kneel to eat their food.

I would highly recommend for all Thai food lovers to try this place. Next time I am there, I will definitely be exploring more areas of the menu and ordering starters and maybe desserts, in order to get the full experience.

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