AROY THAI, Fremantle

by JENNY D’ANGER:

The attractive young blonde spent most of her meal texting, barely acknowledging the bloke sitting across the table.

Her skirt was so short, and top so tight maybe he didn’t notice.

She ended the night by slapping money on the table to cover her half of dinner.

Married for almost 30 years, I shuddered at the thought of playing the dating game and the delicate question of sharing the bill—or not, dumping the guy after dessert—or not, especially if you’d arrived in his car.

Along with wearing clean knickers and carrying a hanky my mother always told me to have taxi fare in my purse, just in case—wise advice I reckon.

Having eaten at Aroy Thai many times over the years, I’m pretty sure the food wasn’t to blame for their date not going well, dine in or take away (even home-delivered), I’ve always found it unvaryingly good.

On this occasion we were introducing English visitors—who live in a small southern coastal town where it’s mostly fish and chips, with a very average Indian their nod to exotic wonders—to the sensory delights of Thai food.

Adventurous fools we are, the D’Angers had Thai fish cakes ($7.50) entree.

The visitors looked askance–and opted for chicken curry puffs ($5.90).

Which they liked so much they ordered them for take-away a few days later.

I had fish cakes as a pub lunch recently and they were particularly bad.

The Aroy Thai on the other hand has well and truly mastered the art and these were wonderfully chewy (as they should be), with a pleasant lime and coriander zing.

The visitors shared a chicken green curry ($19) and were won over by the tender chicken pieces in rich coconut and basil.

They were also impressed by our ginger stir fried fish.

So were we and ordered it again days later as a takeaway.

And of course we can never go past the vegetarian pad thai ($15), which as always, was delicious.

By dessert the visitors were game for anything, including a sticky rice pudding, one with mango ($8.90) and the other with black beans and a delicious coconut ice cream ($8).

You can’t fault the friendly, and attentive, service at the Aroy Thai, and our water glasses were constantly topped up, and we didn’t have to ask before extra rice appeared.

Aroy Thai Restaurant
308 South Tce, South Freo
Phone 9335 5144
open for dinner 7 days