Khao Soi By Chariya

“This is a lovely, owner operated restaurant run by Masterchef winner Chariya, is a little gem. The service is excellent, with friendly staff who offered a warm welcome, were attentive and very helpful with food information. The menu is quite small, which is good because the kitchen produces the dishes really quickly and does a great job of cooking tasty food. Chariya herself works in the kitchen. I look forward to visiting again and trying some other dishes.”

“Our family visited Khao Soi for a birthday treat on a Saturday lunchtime. It was amazing, the front of house lady was just lovely. Welcoming, friendly and efficient. The food was delicious. There were five of us and all of us cleared our plates. The small plates we had, chicken satay, giant prawn ‘toast’ and dumplings were just superb. Winner across the board was the sweet chilli sauce! We wanted more and they kindly obliged. Couldn’t fault any of the whole experience. It took us an hour and half to get there, but we’ll be back!”

“We visited Khao Soi twice in June. The first time with friends, and we had all been excited at the prospect of sampling some of Chariya's amazing Masterchef creations, being avid fans of the show. We weren't disappointed, in fact, completely hooked so were back again again less than 3wks later for my husband's birthday. The restaurant was fully booked and buzzing, & we were greeted like old friends by the lovely FoH manager, despite never having been before, and settled at our table by a cheerful friendly waitress, who clearly loves working there. The menu is sensibly limited to a smallish selection, to allow all meals to be cooked freshly to order, but with enough choice that nobody would struggle to choose something delicious. With the exception of the several varieties of the fabulous Khao Soi signature dish, the menu changes weekly, so there will always be something new to try when (not if) you return. Between us, we tried the pork wontons, Giant chicken and prawn toast, Korean Style Chicken Bao Bun for starters. Very good sized portions, for all of them. Then the mains arrived, and goodness, the presentation was fantastic. The Chicken Khao Soi and Mixed Seafood version in lovely large ceramic bowls, and all of the dishes standing on bamboo monogrammed boards. The flavours were unbelievable, I remembered that dish from the programme, and having seen the pics again on the website was not disappointed. Absolutely delicious. Another had the Massamam curry, presented in stacking dishes, served with Broccoli, crackers & rice. And then it was time for dessert. Already full up, we looked at the menu anyway, and I knew I had to find room for the Yuzu Mascarpone Cheesecake, which was topped with a citrus layer. It was light and delicious, so much so, that I had it again next time we visited too. The others had Thai Tea Ice Cream, which they loved. The wine is very reasonably priced compared to other good restaurants, as are the drinks. The prices for all dishes are very reasonable too, considering the quality of the dishes, fabulous ingredients and portion size. When you take into account, each main course is the complete meal, unlike going for a Chinese or Indian where rice, bread, poppadoms and sides are extra. When we were finished, Chariya came out of the kitchen and went around the tables, chatting to her customers. She is lovely, and was genuinely delighted that we had followed her through her Masterchef journey and told us about some of the experiences. She was very happy to join us for photos by her Trophy and Apron. There is no need to write a review for the second visit, the food was just as good, different menu choices but same fantastic atmosphere, and service, proving that we weren't just lucky the first time. Altogether, a fantastic dining experience, a lovely atmosphere, a welcoming and friendly front of house team, who keep a close eye to make sure you are having a great time, they are a credit to her. And then Chariya herself, such a lovely lady, who has brought a fantastic restaurant to Alton, a lovely little Hampshire town. We are fortunate to live close enough for this to become our 'Go to' for special occasions. Just love everything about Khao Soi.”

“A much awaited visit to this gorgeous new restaurant in my home town didn't disappoint. The Thai inspired dishes were bursting with flavour and beautifully presented. The staff were polite, attentive and nothing was too much trouble. The restaurant is fairly small and had a great atmosphere. I would definitely recommend to friends and can't wait to visit again very soon.”

“The food was amazing, from the starters to the desserts. Everything was really well prepared and seasoned. If you like gin, be sure to try the lemongrass gin& tonic. The staff is super friendly and helpful and the restaurant is nicely decorated and really cozy. If you’re in Alton, or even in London, be sure to visit Chariya and her team. Next time we’re in London, we’ll return here for sure.”