Believe it or not, Pai Thai is not the easiest of places to locate.. set at the far end of the Madinat waterways, its really only reachable by boat or buggy. We arrived by boat which was by far the most romantic entrance (even though my date was a girl mate of mine), showing off the fairy lit terrace which leans out over the quiet water. The lighting was dim, the tables weren't too close together giving the diners enough privacy and the atmosphere was quiet but electric at the same time - perfect date location!
On arrival, we were immediately sat at our table by a very friendly hostess. She also passed me a gluten free menu which for the first time in a while didnt look depressing at all - there were a few gluten free suitable options available to me.
Cocktails were the first port of call - I went for a 'Ban Thai' which i would highly recommend. A mix of passion fruit, lychee and vodka went down an absolute treat. Then came the prawn crackers - which for me were rice crackers which were accompanied by a nectarine sauce instead of the usual sweet chilli - i must admit they were surprising tasty for gluten free. For mains we both ordered Thai currys. Mine was a red prawn curry which was delicious - the perfect balance between creamy and sweet and bitter spice. The portions were big enough to share between two, and the rice was unlimited. My friend went for the Thai green chicken curry which she said was the best she'd had in Dubai - Pai Thai was definitely living up to both of our expectations.
I left the restaurant feeling full and tired after a great dinner - and even though it was quite expensive it was worth the price we paid. Adding to all this the staff were extremely attentive, helpful and knowledgeable about the food that was on the menu - something that's quite a rarity in Dubai.
To note: the entertainer book does Pai Thai vouchers - get your hands on one and go and try it out.
