In the heart of the beautiful Beaconsfield old town is the Crazy Bear hotel. This quirky hotel opened in 2008 and is located in a fifteenth century coaching inn, the oldest documented building in Beaconsfield. The hotel boasts two restaurants, with the Thai restaurant just a short walk from the main hotel.
We visited the Thai restaurant to try the signature 12 plate sharing menu. This usually costs £62.50 per person, but we had a Time Out voucher which reduced the cost to £33 each and included a glass of champagne.
After having our glasses of champagne poured, we started with:
- Shrimp crackers with sweet chilli dipping sauce
- Crispy seaweed
- Steamed edamame with Japanese chilli powder and rock salt
- Wagyu beef tartar in mini taco shells with ponzu sauce and wasabi
- Sea bass sashimi with chilli, crispy garlic and ponzu sauce
The highlight was, surprisingly, the edamame beans; they were fresh, crisp and steamed to perfection. The salt and chilli gave the beans a fresh taste which perfectly cut through the umami flavours of the crackers and beef tartar tacos.
After demolishing our starters, the main course was brought out. This was made up of:
- Roasted mandarin cherry valley duck
- Honey roasted loin of pork
- Crispy pork belly
- Tiger prawn pad thai noodles
- Chargrilled aubergine in black bean sauce
- Steamed jasmine rice
The mixed plate of pork and duck (pictured below) was definitely the centrepiece of this meal and did not disappoint!
We were feeling very full at this point, but were able to make room for our dessert of:
- Lychee cheesecake with kaffir lime jelly and bitter chocolate sorbet
This sharing menu is ideal for people who love Thai food and want to try as many dishes as possible. It’s also a great way of trying new dishes you wouldn’t normally order. You get your Thai classics like Pad Thai, and some more unusual dishes like beef tartar tacos.
The Crazy Bear Thai restaurant is a beautiful venue, with classic wooden beams contrasting with the quirky interior. The staff were friendly and the service was quick. The restaurant has a brilliant atmosphere and was busy and bustling so booking is a must. As Thai food lovers, we will definitely be returning.
Marlow Eats 