I love restaurant names that have a play on words and for this reason I’ve always wanted to come here. Beau Thai is located on the busy Semaphore Road cafe precinct. I’m not sure what this place is like on a Friday or Saturday night, but on a Tuesday night, customers would be forgiven for thinking this place was closed because the lights were really dim and there were no customers inside. The only thing indicating it was open was a small sign on the door made from flashing lights. The restaurant itself is considerably large. The main walls are painted purple with ornaments and paintings scattered around the room. The menu offers all your traditional Thai dishes.

Tonight, I ordered the Pad Thai. The dish was ready after a 15 minute wait and was nicely presented. I liked the way they separated the peanuts, bean sprouts and chilli paste so you could control the amount you mix in with the noodles. The noodles were well cooked as they were firm and not stuck together. The chicken was tender and succulent, and a generous amount was provided. Chicken breast meat was used but this didn’t detract from the flavour. The bean sprouts were fresh and uncooked, and combined with the peanuts, added a nice crunchy texture. The chilli paste had quite a kick and added that extra dimension of excitement. The dish was very well executed and the flavours were spot on.

My friend had the Lemongrass Chicken. She said it was good and had no complaints.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was above average. The atmosphere was relaxed, mainly because no one else was around. The pricing is a bit higher than average. I was charged $17.90 for my Pad Thai even though the menu specifically said $14.90. Considering some other places charge as low as $11 for a Pad Thai, it’s priced a bit higher whichever way you look at it.

This place makes a pretty good Pad Thai, and they would have got a perfect rating had they not overcharged me. If you’re going to eat here, compare the menu prices with the bill.

WHERE: 110 Semaphore Rd, Semaphore