It's been 20 years since much-loved Thai restaurant Sukhothai opened its doors for the very first time.
To celebrate their milestone anniversary, the restaurant is throwing it back to 2002 and bringing back their original menu to celebrate.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets had just come out, Majestyk and Townhouse were the places to hang out at night and by day, shoppers stormed the Corn Exchange is search of edge one-off designs: 2002 really does feel like a lifetime ago.
There weren't many Thai restaurants around then either, the UK was yet to be introduced to the irresistible flavours of peanut pad thai or the delicious curries and spices.
There were very few Thai restaurants in the UK at that time, never mind Leeds, but one woman seized the opportunity to fill the gap and hasn’t looked back since.
Ban Kaewkraikhot opened her very first Sukhothai restaurant (named after the small-town north of Bangkok where she was raised) in Chapel Allerton in April 2002, bringing with her a lifetime passion for Thai cuisine which began at an early age with her mother’s cooking in rural Thailand.
In total, there's now three Sukhothai's across the country and the owners have since gone on to open an impressive six restaurants of their causal-dining brand Zaap Thai. Not to mention Ban and her dedicated team have won countless awards and survived a global pandemic- it’s been quite the journey.
Now, to celebrate two decades of trading, Sukhothai is reminiscing on their original 2002 menu and bringing back their first ever specials.
Lamb Shank Massamam. / Image: PGHL
Dishes making a comeback include the Gae Kiew Wan Gata Lon, succulent lamb stir-fried with green curry paste, sweet basil, lime leaves, green beans and chilli, served on a sizzling hot plate. The Som Tum Supparod Pla Tod consists of crispy haddock served with a spicy Som Tum salad and fruity pineapple.
Dishes making a comeback include the Gae Kiew Wan Gata Lon, succulent lamb stir-fried with green curry paste, sweet basil, lime leaves, green beans and chilli, served on a sizzling hot plate. The Som Tum Supparod Pla Tod consists of crispy haddock served with a spicy Som Tum salad and fruity pineapple.
Diners will be able to pair these nostalgic dishes with the current specials on the modern day menu for a true time-travelling experience through the senses.
‘’Leeds has been my home for over 20 years now, and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved at Sukhothai since our humble beginnings back in 2002. Leeds is a fantastic city, full of warm and welcoming people, and one of the most diverse food scenes you’ll find in the world.’’
‘’I’m also lucky enough to call so many customers and team members my friends. I’ve been part of countless engagements, birthdays, graduations and seen children grow up into young adults.’’
‘’I’m eternally grateful to everyone that has supported me over the years and can’t wait to see our most loyal and longstanding customers enjoy our special birthday menu. Removing some of these classic specials from our menu wasn’t always an easy decision, but we always aim to evolve at Sukhothai, and our customers appreciate this.’’
Image: PGHL
‘’The Seafood Platter, in particular, will be welcomed back with open arms, I’ve had so many customers ask when it’s coming back. I look forward to seeing you all, to raise a glass to 20 years. Here’s to the next 20!’’
The menu will be available for 20 days from Tuesday 26 April - Sunday 15 May 2022.
Feature Image- PGHL
Leeds
Inside Moida, the new Korean beauty and skincare store in Leeds city centre
If your skincare routine has been needing an upgrade, there's some good news waiting for you inside Trinity Leeds.
The shopping centre has just welcomed Moida, a brand-new beauty retailer specialising in authentic Korean skincare, bringing some of the world's most sought-after K-beauty products to Leeds.
Named after the Korean word meaning 'to gather' or 'come together', moida is all about making Korean skincare easy to discover and accessible for everyone.
Inside the new store that has taken over the old Claire's Accessories site, shoppers can expect an extensive range of handpicked products from some of the biggest names in K-beauty, including Beauty of Joseon, Dr. Althea, TIRTIR, Medicube, Biodance, and more cult-favourite brands.
The collection has been curated by a team of Korean beauty experts with close links to Korea, meaning customers can expect everything from viral TikTok sensations to exclusive products that are often difficult to get hold of elsewhere in the UK.
Moida K-Beauty has opened in Trinity Leeds. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: "With Korean skincare still increasing in popularity, moida brings an exciting new concept to the centre. Offering guests viral products alongside everyday essentials, plus the chance to browse new brands in-store will be a fantastic experience.
"We know moida is going to be a brilliant addition for both existing fans of K-beauty and those keen to discover it for the first time."
It's the latest announcement following the recent launches of Lane7, Footasylum, LEGO, Jerk Junction, The Fragrance Shop and schuh at Trinity Leeds.
Fantastic Leeds bakery owner claps back at one-star review calling him ‘silly man’
Daisy Jackson
One of Leeds' most popular independent bakeries has addressed a recent one-star review, which slammed them for being sold out of sandwiches.
Silver's Bakehouse, which comes from the same team behind Silver's Deli, suggested that the reviewer should 'work on their manners'.
The review hit out at the Farsley bakery for being sold out of sandwiches by the time they travelled 'an 80 minute round trip', describing owner Chris Riley as a 'silly man'.
The reviewer said they have been 'loyal high-spending customers since the first one opened' but wrote that they won't be visiting Silver's again after being left empty-handed.
They wrote: "It's all very good being mr instagram but things can go south very quickly silly man, make more sandwiches if you are going to be sold out in the first hour, don't risk the disappointment!!!"
Silver's Bakehouse has now publicly shared and responded to the review, stressing that they won't tolerate 'rudeness' and detailing the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
He said: "Let me explain again for you, David…
Inside Silver's Bakehouse in Farsley. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
"We start baking at 5am and rarely finish before 6pm. Everything is made fresh, by hand, often taking days to prepare, in a very small bakery. You can literally see how small it is - and we utilise every inch.
"We make as much as we physically can. Sometimes we sell out earlier than we’d like, and we’re incredibly grateful that so many people want what we make. But there is, unfortunately, a limit to how much we can produce.
"For the record, I’m not overly enthused about being “Mr Instagram” - what a truly horrendous phrase to conjure up. I managed to avoid it for years, but needs must and all that.
"I am genuinely grateful for your custom, David. Rudeness, however, I’m considerably less enthusiastic about.
"So yeah, we’ll keep working hard. You keep working on those manners."
Sophie Smith -
7th April 2022 
