Diep at Home, based in Ranelagh, is perhaps the best value takeaway I’ve found. It’s is one of many good Thai takeouts near me, including Thai Thai in Kimmage, Saba Rathmines, and Tak Tai on Clanbrassil Street. But Diep’s Bangkok street food keeps luring me back.
I can’t stop ordering the Kai Yang: a half chicken scented with lemongrass, a huge portion of Asian greens, and a big portion of rice. The chicken comes with plenty of its own delicious and natural juices while the vegetables are served in a sweet, gentle and slightly salty broth. It’s a Thai variation on the Irish staple dinner of meat, starch (potatoes replaced here by rice) and veg, and at only €9.95, this is a steal. I wouldn’t say there’s quite enough here for two, but there’s certainly enough for one fancy feast, or an adult and a child.
SnackBox is a big fan of Diep’s Tom Kha Gai (€5.50), a lime scented chicken soup with coconut milk, mushrooms, and chilli oil, while the Thai beef salad (€8.50) is wonderful: fresh, crispy, spicy, gentle, nurturing. The Larb Gai (€5.50), a chicken salad with lemongrass, chilli, lime, and ground rice served with iceberg lettuce, delivered profound disappointment: whether authentic or not, it felt a bit like a miserable mish-mash of old stuff lying around the fridge which might be served by a panicking mammy to her unexpected Thai guests.
For reasons completely unrelated to the X Factor (ahem), many people might opt for a takeaway or ready meal this weekend: we’ll take a look at some of the options later this week.
- Diep at Home, Ranelagh, Dublin 6: 014976270
- Diep at Home, Blackrock, Co. Dublin: 017642076