On the corner of Eat Street in the Lifestyle Centre, you can find SOI 55 Thai Eatery. Sunlight streams through the open-air restaurant as Ballito’s summer shows off with clear blue skies and a balmy atmosphere. Already expecting the Fab-Team’s arrival, Sheri and Chef Goo set up a cosy corner for us which looked out onto the outdoor seating area and caught some of that refreshing breeze flowing through the restaurant.

Open since September 2023, SOI 55 has some of the best, authentic Thai dishes. Headed by Chef Goo and his dedicated team, it’s easy to see why this is such a beloved spot. The combination of good food, an inviting atmosphere, and friendly staff make this a place you would want to visit many times over.

After we settled down from the excitement and took in the beautiful décor, we started off by looking at their drinks menu. Aside from the well-known drinks, they also have a Thailand-inspired selection. The Sabai Sabai cocktail, made with imported Mekhong Thai Rum, and the cold variation of the Thai latte, especially caught our attention and our knowledgeable waitress, Lerato, confirmed our choices as some of their specialities.

As we chatted and sipped on our drinks, the food had arrived. Chef Goo had prepared a true feast for us, our table was covered from one end to the other with various dishes. Born and raised in Bangkok, Chef Goo has been cooking since a young age and has extensive experience in hospitality. His love for and knowledge of cuisine really shone through as he explained each dish to us, effectively transporting us from Ballito, all the way to the streets of Thailand. From preparation to plating, you can see his influence and involvement in every step.

Spoiled with some of their iconic dishes, from the starter selection we were served chicken satay and pork belly variations of skewers accompanied by peanut satay sauce and a ponzu reduction, respectively. There was also a spicy sauce called Prik Nam Pla, which was an infusion of fish sauce, lemon juice, chilli, garlic, and coriander. Those adventurous of us, tried the combination with the starters. From their dumpling selection, the pork, vegetable and chicken potstickers were snatched up for their amazing aroma and delicious filling.

I may be a bit biased, but the main dishes blew me away. Firstly, the crispy spinach salad with grilled chicken tossed in a dressing of Nam Jin, topped with toasted coconut, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and coriander was the team’s favourite. Even people who don’t like salad went back to try more, not believing what they were tasting.

You can’t forget the amazing curries, which are served with rice or wok-fried noodles. The green curry is a Thai favourite, with flavourful prawns, fresh vegetables, and infused basil. The chicken massaman curry is a southern Thai curry rich in warm spices, potatoes, onions, and peanuts. Both curries were mildly spiced to suit different tolerance levels, but for those who love heat, the ‘angry curry’ is a must-try.

Last, but not least, are the beef drunken noodles. This was a dish with wok-fried noodles, peppers, green beans, basil, chilli and garlic tossed in soya sauce. Light, yet still filling. Safe to say, we were all well-fed. My team could not stop complimenting the various characteristics of every dish, from presentation to taste, each bite was an immersive experience. Of course nothing went to waste, the SOI 55 team supplied us with “doggy bags” to take some of the magic back home.

Already buzzing with activity, the restaurant has exciting things planned for this year that patrons can look forward to. In addition to a new lunch menu launching soon, they are introducing a Tuesday “Ladies’ Night” and continuing wine pairing evenings to keep bringing you new flavours and experiences to enjoy.

Reluctant to break the spell, we left SOI 55 with full hearts and even fuller stomachs – some of us are already planning our return.

www.soi55.co.za