The end of the week rolls around again. The sun is casting gentle rays over the City’s silent streets. The empty beer gardens wonder what they did to offend all the people who should be in them, quaffing pints and dipping fingers into communal bags of Seabrook’s.
Another week of this mad existence we currently inhabit has passed, and we’re celebrating with another takeaway meal from one of Leeds’ lovely independent foodies. We close the curtains (suspecting the May evening of gloating) and peruse the climes of Deliveroo for something to recreate the restaurant experience we’re all pining after.
Mommy Thai wins our custom, with its reasonably priced range of starters, noodle and rice dishes, curries, inventive stir fries and authentic classics.
There are two physical branches of Mommy Thai in Leeds, one on Duncan Street and one further north on Vicar Lane. In normal times, they are bustling, cosy and somehow still stylish. Colourful decorations, friendly service, amazing smells… Okay, I’ll stop now, but you get my gist.
The truth is that a good portion of that loveliness translates into the restaurant’s delivery service. Our food arrives fast, steaming hot and bursting with flavour. One thing to note is their ‘rice dishes’ do in fact come with rice, so don’t fall into the same trap we do and order double quantities of carb. Unless, of course, that’s what you like, in which case there’s no judgement here.
We go for steamed pork dumplings as a starter, which arrive plump and tender, served with fried garlic and a salty dipping sauce. Next up, it’s a dish from Mommy Thai’s ‘foodie’ section – ‘Kra Pow Moo Krob’ – comprising crispy pork, holy basil, chili, garlic and long beans on a bed of rice (or next to a tin container of rice, if you want to get literal). You can add a fried egg too if that’s your jam – we did, and it was excellent.
Main number two is ‘Pad Khing’ – a stir fry of peppers, onion, ginger and mushrooms, of which we choose a prawn variety, but – as with most of MT’s dishes – can also come with chicken, pork, beef, duck, crispy chicken or tofu. Phew. The veg is al dente and flavourful, the sauce a perfect balance of fiery ginger and sweetness.
A cheeky extra comes in the form of ‘Pad Pak Bung’ – stir fried morning glory with chili garlic and soybean paste. There’s no option to order this ‘as-is’, which would have been ideal, but eating it topped with pork isn’t exactly a chore. It packs a sweet, smoky flavour – not to mention a decent kick of heat.
The abundance of rice is perfectly cooked and tender – including the portion of sticky rice to soak up all the juices, of which there are lots. All in all, another absolute banger of a takeaway, and with the most expensive dish on the menu priced at just £8.50, what’s not to love?
Mommy Thai is open for collection and delivery 11.30am-10pm every day. Head to Deliveroo to order online, or give them a call to get your order in. It’s 0113 244 9289 for Duncan Street, and 0113 450 7263.
Photographs by Kate Ryrie.
