GET TO KNOW YOUR BYO with Kellie Larson

So fresh and so tasty!

BYOs are often viewed as the “cheap” alternative, not a dining experience. I’d like to think this isn’t entirely true. BYOs on the North Shore are integral to the local restaurant scene that we love to rely on for great food and a friendly atmosphere. Relaxed, in a good way. Not lacking in flavour. Just delicious, enjoyable dining experiences in our local communities. But these BYOs aren’t always easy to find. Online searches produce very little for the North Shore, and personal references tend to only take you to someone’s local Thai restaurant. So I have placed it upon myself to seek out the best BYO experiences to add to my “black book” of restaurants.

This month I am reviewing a Thai BYO restaurant, but this isn’t your average Thai restaurant or your average BYO – it is a restaurant whose food is so fresh and so tasty that I have been back 5 times in 4 weeks!

Monthien Thai restaurant is yet another BYO restaurant facing out on Kitchener Road, 142 Kitchener Road to be specific, in Milford. While the storefront is easy to miss when walking along the sidewalk, inside is quite a modern, clean and warm atmosphere unlike most BYO restaurants. Rich wood tables line the restaurant, and warm light flickers through the restaurant from the candles mounted on the wall. On a Monday night, it is a perfect place to sit back and enjoy a bottle of wine – or two.

Starving from a full day’s work, we began by digging in to a $10 mixed entrée of crispy spring rolls, satay chicken kebab, curry puffs, Thai fish cakes and a moneybag. Nothing too special, but a yummy fried treat that kept our hunger at bay as we opened our bottle of cabernet sauvignon.

The mains on the other hand were outstanding. We shared the beef salad, red duck curry and chicken pad Thai – and each bite was more delicious than the next.

The salad was a crisp, fresh salad of great proportions dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, coriander and mint – and piled high with tender beef. The pad thai was so light and incredibly flavourful. The plate of rice noodles disappeared as quickly as it arrived on our table. But the showstopper was the Chef’s Special duck red curry. With pineapple and grapes, it normally wouldn’t be my first choice, but I am glad my partner insisted on ordering duck. Each bite was so tasty that I will now struggle to order anything but this from Monthien.

And, a side note, I really appreciate that the curry came with rice. It drives me crazy to pay two dollars for a small portion of rice that is an obvious requirement of a dish!

All in all, this was a fabulous meal, and it has become my go-to Thai restaurant, BYO and takeaway. With a friendly chef, good service and a warm atmosphere to compliment the utterly delicious and fresh food – Monthian is superb.

I would highly recommend this as a great local BYO with the ratings below.

Monthien Thai restaurant 142 Kitchener Road Milford
Kellie's rating:
Food: 9/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 8/10

Kellie Larson is a local ‘foodie’ who lives in Takapuna. Email: kellie@channelmag.co.nz