Thai Orchid Cardiff Road, Newport

FOR too many years Chinese and Indian foods have been the only mainstream Eastern culinary experiences available in Newport. Now there is something different.

Friends who have eaten at the Thai Orchid have often commented on its good food, and when my wife and I visited we were expecting a meal to remember. We were not to be disappointed.

In fact, the only disappointing aspect of the evening was that the staff were not dressed in traditional Thai costume - something we had seen on a visit to a Thai restaurant in North Wales in the summer.

My wife and I chose the vegetarian set meal for two. At £13.50 a head it seemed good value, although we decided to order the fried rice with coconut milk in place of steamed rice.

The starter comprised a selection of finger-sized spring rolls, onion rings, potato skins with sour cream and a small collection of vegetables in a tampura batter.

Accompanied by a rather hot chilli dip, the starters were dispatched with gusto. To follow we had a spicy and sour mushroom soup.

But as we ate, the tongue-tingling Tom Yun Hed took on the flavour of lemon, thanks to the lemon grass which forms part of the recipe.

After a respectable interval for our taste-buds to return to normal, our friendly and efficient waiter brought us the freshly prepared main dishes.

Simply presented but looking appetising and tasting very good, our spicy vegetable green curry, sweet and sour mixed vegetables, Thai fried flat noodles (try saying that after a drink!) with more mixed vegetables, roasted peanuts and salted turnip, and, of course, the rice, delighted our senses as almost every ingredient could be tasted fully.

With a little room still left we finished the meal with sorbet and ice-creams - a little boring, perhaps, but in reality all that was offered. They added £5 to the bill.

Our delightful Friday evening out came to a shade over £50.