Mama's Kitchen
- Samuel Spencer
- Oct 13
- 2 min read
Mama's Kitchen is tucked away between Mettricks and MAST in Guildhall Square, this unassuming doorway leads into a restaurant filled with surprises.
The first thing you'll notice is a 10 foot tall Gorilla statue, adorned with a neon sign saying “Feed me and tell me I’m pretty.” It set the tone right away: fun, a little quirky, and definitely not your average Thai restaurant setting.
The staff were quick to bring over complimentary prawn crackers, which is always a nice touch. I sipped on a Mai Tai while looking over the menu, pineapple-heavy, sweet, and dangerously easy to drink. Also helped that it was happy hour, £10 for 2 cocktails between 6-7pm! It’s a little bit of a shame the drink had no garnish, a little umbrella or piece of pineapple would really have elevated the cocktails!
To start, I went with the chicken satay and the crispy sticky beef. The satay sauce stole the show here. Rich, nutty, and with a gentle kick of spice. The chicken itself, if I’m honest, was a little on the dry side, but the sauce carried it through.
The crispy beef, on the other hand, was a winner. Too often it swings either sickly-sweet or overly salty, but this one nailed the balance: deep, dark, soy-savoury with just enough sweetness to keep you going back for another bite.
My friend ordered the Tom Yum soup, which came with a proper hit of spice. The sort of heat that builds with each spoonful but never tips into unpleasant. If you like a spice that builds and builds, never to too much of anunpleasant level then you’ll be happy with this dish. Maybe avoid it if you’re not a fan of spice though!
For mains, I had the Pork Pad Ka Prao while my friend had the Tofu Pad Thai .
The Pad Thai was a classic Pad Thai, with chewy noodles, crunchy peanuts, and a comforting sweetness. The pork dish was the spicier of the two, recommended by the waiter (after first checking how I handle spice). It came stir-fried with chili, garlic, and basil. Personally I wouldn’t say it was as spicy as the waiter made it out to be but it was still a delicious dish nonetheless. Even though this dish wasn’t spicy for me I issue a warning for those with a low spice tolerance, Thai spice is no joke!
They don't appear to have desserts though, with none on their website and none when we visited. It would have been nice to have some form of dessert, even if just a basic ice cream. It would have helped cool off the spice from the mains!
Overall though Mama’s Kitchen impressed me with its bold flavours, generous portions and good value. It’s the kind of place where the food speaks for itself, but the quirky touches like the gorilla make the experience memorable too. The dishes leaned spicy (as good Thai food often does), so if you like a bit of fire in your meal, you’ll be right at home although being said, there's plenty on the menu for those with a milder palate.
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