Lizzie Wood - Freelance Journalist

The Navigator - Little Shelford

'Unlike traditional Thai restaurants, the Navigator does not pretend to be the complete, authentic Thai experience – there are no wooden carvings or gilded Buddha, only simple candlesticks and beautifully restored oak beams, which keep the ominously low-slung ceilings at bay.'

There are two trends impinging on the region’s traditional village pubs. One is the resurgence of the Sunday Carvery, advertised on chalk boards outside nearly every High Street pub, and the second the adoption of Thai cuisine. The Navigator, located in the quintessentially British village of Little Shelford, has embraced the latter, and now offers a variety of aromatic stir fries, noodle dishes and curries to complement the Cask Ales.

Unlike traditional Thai restaurants, the pub does not pretend to be the complete, authentic Thai experience, where you’re transported to a fragrant, far-away land as soon as you walk in the door – there are no wooden carvings or gilded Buddha, only simple candlesticks and beautifully restored oak beams, which keep the ominously low-slung ceilings at bay. Indeed, the clean décor is simple and sensitive to the history of the building, applying gentle shades to selected walls, whilst others remain as exposed brick work - even the tables are an assorted jumble of mismatched antiques. The only hint that this is, in fact, a Thai restaurant, is the bold red image of a chilli that stands out against the elegant black menu.

Nevertheless, this is a Thai pub, and the food it offers is both traditional and enjoyable. The ingredients are fresh and varied, the flavouring delicate, and the portions more than generous. Typical, aromatic Thai ingredients pepper the menu, including Thai basil, kaffir lime and bamboo shoots, and you can choose between roasted duck, chicken, beef and king prawn dishes, as well as plenty of vegetarian options.

The mixed platter brings together an assortment of popular appetisers to share between groups of two, four or six people, which makes for a sociable introduction to the meal, and includes crisp vegetarian and chicken spring rolls, hot battered king prawns and tempura vegetables, served with sweet plum and sweet chilli dipping sauces. If you can’t wait for the starter, make sure you order the spicy Thai-style prawn crackers when you arrive: dipping the crackers in the complementary sweet chilli sauce takes the edge off the spice and makes these an excellent build up to the main event.

The main menu is full of Thai favourites, including yellow, green and red curries, as well as less well known dishes, and all are reasonably priced – especially given the freshness and quantities served. Helpfully, each dish is explained in detail beneath the unfamiliar names, outlining all the ingredients, and the staff are quick to offer both advice and recommendations. Beware that the intensity of some of the curries – indicated on the menu by a maximum of four red chillies – can leave you gasping and reaching for the water, so make sure you take advantage of the simple ‘chilli scale’ and ask the chef to tone down the spice if it’s not to your taste – they’ll be equally happy to increase the heat should you ask!

The Navigator has successfully adopted Thai-style dining without losing the building’s character and charm, and now offers a peaceful environment to enjoy high-quality Thai Cuisine.