Diep at Home, based in Ranelagh, is perhaps the best value takeaway I’ve found. It’s is one of many good Thai takeouts near me, including Thai Thai in Kimmage, Saba Rathmines, and Tak Tai on Clanbrassil Street. But Diep’s Bangkok street food keeps luring me back.
I can’t stop ordering the Kai Yang: a half chicken scented with lemongrass, a huge portion of Asian greens, and a big portion of rice. The chicken comes with plenty of its own delicious and natural juices while the vegetables are served in a sweet, gentle and slightly salty broth. It’s a Thai variation on the Irish staple dinner of meat, starch (potatoes replaced here by rice) and veg, and at only €9.95, this is a steal. I wouldn’t say there’s quite enough here for two, but there’s certainly enough for one fancy feast, or an adult and a child.
SnackBox is a big fan of Diep’s Tom Kha Gai (€5.50), a lime scented chicken soup with coconut milk, mushrooms, and chilli oil, while the Thai beef salad (€8.50) is wonderful: fresh, crispy, spicy, gentle, nurturing. The Larb Gai (€5.50), a chicken salad with lemongrass, chilli, lime, and ground rice served with iceberg lettuce, delivered profound disappointment: whether authentic or not, it felt a bit like a miserable mish-mash of old stuff lying around the fridge which might be served by a panicking mammy to her unexpected Thai guests.
For reasons completely unrelated to the X Factor (ahem), many people might opt for a takeaway or ready meal this weekend: we’ll take a look at some of the options later this week.
- Diep at Home, Ranelagh, Dublin 6: 014976270
- Diep at Home, Blackrock, Co. Dublin: 017642076
Tuesday 8 December, 2009 at 12:26 pm
you should try sawadee in rathgar they do great takeaway their pad thai is lovely.
Tuesday 8 December, 2009 at 12:26 pm
you should try sawadee in terenure they do great takeaway their pad thai is lovely.
Tuesday 8 December, 2009 at 12:40 pm
hum, the menu is very tempting (might have to do with the fact that I am starving!), but I can’t find their delivery charges?
Tuesday 8 December, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Is Tak Tai really any good? It’s around the corner from me, but just never got the urge to eat from it. I love Saba, Diep etc… so how would you rate it against those?
Tuesday 8 December, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Hi Tony. I’ve never had a bad meal some there, and when my friends and I first discovered it we thought we’d found the holy grail of Thai food. It was head and shoulders above any Thai food we’d ever had in Ireland. Since then, two of them, on seperate occasions, have had to throw out their food because it was “inedible.” I’m still enthralled, but for others, it seems a little hit and miss. I’ll do a full review over the next few months.
Wednesday 9 December, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I’m afraid I can’t recommend the Blackrock branch to anyone. Diep at Home in Blackrock is one of those places I’d love to love, and I really gave it several chances to prove itself. The menu is interesting, the prices are reasonable, and it looks quick. Unfortunately none of the food I’ve had from the Blackrock branch has been good enough at all, and it isn’t particularly quick either. In Blackrock we’re lucky to have an excellent Asian restaurant, Chi, and their takeaways are head and shoulders above Diep at Home (though more expensive). Diep at Home, for me, have expended the supply of chances I’ll give to a restaurant.
Thursday 10 December, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I loved the food from Diep when you used to order it in the Diep Noodle bar in Ranelagh. I did try the Diep at Home, Ranelagh a number of times when it opened but eventually gave up on it.
In my opinion the food (taken-away) from the restaurant was far superior to that produced in the take-away shop. Also tried Blackrock but even more disappointed with that.
Now I’ve discoverd Kanum near Baggot Street Bridge and am finding myself returning to it again and again.
Friday 11 December, 2009 at 10:18 am
Thanks Peter.
Will give a go and see I guess. Can only try! 🙂
Wednesday 21 July, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Only coming across this blog now and have to disagree with the comments about Diep At Home in Blackrock. I order from them regularly and always have a really good meal. Chi around the corner uses a lot of MSG and i know that from the minute i taste their food. I think Diep is above the rest in quality and taste.