Ah, coupons. Since high school it's been ingrained in me that people who use coupons or vouchers to save money on goods and services are, in fact, cheap. This attitude often carries on to adulthood, and lately I've been wondering why - not everyone is made of money, and if a business is willing to offer their product at a discounted price to bring in customers, then why not take advantage of it?
I've been seeing offers for some pretty well-known restaurants on Spreets.com.au and Cudo.com.au, and I thought it would be an interesting experiment to see if the attitude of looking down on people who make use of coupons existed on the other side of the service - I know when I worked in fast-food, my work mates definitely didn't appreciate those customers. When an offer was sent to me for Red Spoon Thai at Top Ryde, I decided to see if the quality of the food, the portion sizes and the service was up to scratch.



Offer: $59 for a 4-course meal for two, a bottle of wine and two Event Cinema movie tickets (Value: $157)
The restaurant is situated in La Piazza at the Top Ryde Shopping Centre. When we enter the restaurant we take note of the dark, intimate and edgy decor and the laid-back music. We were a little late for our booking, but we were graciously told not to worry, asked for our voucher and then shown to a table. We asked for table water, and not long after we received it we were given our first course.
Mini-Stick Rolls
Prawn Betel Leaf
The mini stick rolls were so tiny I could have used them as toothpicks, but I guess that's why they're "mini". A tiny amount of cabbage and carrot made up the filling, and the sweet chili sauce overpowered what little flavour there was.
The prawn betel leafs were a first for us. The heart shaped vine leaves were slightly bitter, and the prawns were plump and juicy. There were herbs (pretty sure I tasted coriander), and it was accompanied with something described as the chef's "special sauce" and crispy fried onion.
Chicken Pad Thai
The second course started with chicken pad thai, and it was done quite well. The noodles were firm yet pliable, the capsicum was tender and juicy, and the chicken was flavoursome. The only let down was that there wasn't much chicken, probably 4 or 5 small pieces all together. The presentation was good though, very vibrant.
Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Papaya Salad
The crab was soft and moist, and the batter thin and crispy. The papaya salad was far too spicy for me, with strips of papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans and peanuts covered in chili (with even the seeds!), but I think I would have liked it if it were more mild.
Eight Hour Braised Massaman Lamb Shank
Third course is heralded by the arrival of the lamb shank, and it was magnificent. The meat fell off the bone, leaving no need for knives, and was so juicy and had a wonderful mouthfeel. The curry sauce was made up of coconut milk, cinnamon, cardamom and, I'm pretty sure, palm sugar, and it was flavoured with star anise and what I think is tamarind sauce. It was served with a bowl of steamed rice, which I was grateful for because that meant I could make good use of all the sauce.
Cinnamon Spiced Duck Breast with Plum Sauce
The duck breast was depressing - the meat was tough, the skin was cold and rubbery. The flavour of the spicy cinnamon and sweet plum sauce was there, but the duck meat let it down. The bok choy was probably more enjoyable.
This finished our three courses, and let it be known that we never received our wine. Whilst the staff were friendly, and took the time to explain our dishes to us, they didn't really listen to us when we tried to request something. I wouldn't say that it was because they didn't think we were worth it, rather that they just had a routine for all their Spreets customers that they were used to.
“Carp’s Thai style” Baked Custard with Pandan and Coconut Ice Cream, and Black Sticky Rice with Jack Fruit Sorbet
This was our dessert. For two people, it didn't seem like much, and it wasn't. The ice cream was amazing, light and creamy, and the baked custard solid and comforting. The black sticky rice pudding wasn't sticky at all, it just seemed like someone had put a spoonful of rice on the plate. I didn't get what the white stuff on it was meant to be either, until I saw the menu - jack fruit sorbet. It was tangy, but otherwise lacked flavour and had melted before it got to our table.
Our experience here was mixed, and if I come back here it probably won't be as a Spreets customer. While the value was very good for what we paid, the service, quality and portion sizes did seem to be diminished in comparison to the experiences that other diners were having around us. Also, I do prefer being able to choose my own dishes. I would say that buying a voucher would be a good way to go if you're not sure about a restaurant, and don't want to pay a large amount just to end up disappointed.
Our tickets!
So are all diners created equal? Well, obviously I'd have to try a lot more places to find out, but in the case of Red Spoon Thai, it seems you get what you pay for.
Chefs firing up the wok when they see me taking a photo, the cheeky buggers :)
Red Spoon Thai
Shop GL3002 La Piazza
Top Ryde Shopping Centre
109-129 Blaxland Rd
Top Ryde
NSW 2112
Phone: (02) 9808 3998
