Mason's Bistro Bar, 13 Fossgate, York

WHEN the team behind Mason's Bistro decided to throw a Thai food night to raise funds for victims of the tsunami, little did they realise what a hit it would be.

Diners descended on the York restaurant to support the appeal and helped boost the relief effort by several hundred pounds.

I was among the throng to pack out Mason's Bistro on Fossgate - just a stone's throw from the city centre. I have been a fan of Thai food ever since my honeymoon in Thailand so was delighted to see the Thai food night become a regular feature on Mason's menu - on the first Tuesday of each month.

Anticipation began early when I was able to study the menu for the evening which had been sent on email by one of the restaurant owners, David Hall.

David's wife Gwaang is a native of the south of Thailand, and cooked five authentic Thai dishes for the evening with the help of Sally Duncan, Mason's resident chef.

It was a set menu (£22.50) with not a green or red Thai curry in sight. Not that I would have minded, but it was refreshing to try out new dishes.

The starter was a slightly spicy soup - Dom Kha Ghai - featuring coconut-milk, chicken, button mushrooms and a blend of chilli, lime and lemongrass. All the flavours came into their own, with each mouthful delivering a taste of classic Thai ingredients.

The soup came in a large bowl, with enough for us to share. We each had a plate with a perfect mound of fragrant rice to help mop up every spoonful.The main courses arrived in three dishes for us to delve into with a plentiful supply of fragrant rice - we couldn't resist asking for extra servings to soak up every morsel.

The selection included the very tasty Ghai Pat King - tender chicken, stir-fried with fresh ginger, cracked pepper and oyster sauce. It had a real bite which was quite different to the fieriness of Gaeng Krati Nua - a Southern Thai beef curry with long green beans.

The rich, strong flavour of this second dish particularly appealed to my husband Gary, a Thai curry fan who loves anything that challenges his taste buds' temperature gauge.

Described as "fiery hot", it was not for the faint-hearted.

Thankfully the Gaeng Krati Nua did not deliver the same burning sensation as certain meals I tried in Thailand which numbed my lips and brought tears to my eyes.

In fact, this dish was my favourite of all three, because of the sauce's creamy texture and the tenderness of the beef . I could happily have devoured all of it.

The third dish was Khai Palao - slow braised pork and boiled eggs in a dark caramel gravy infused with star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns and cardamom.

This was the mildest offering but probably the most distinct. I tend to expect lemongrass, lime and coriander flavours in Thai food but this had none of the above, leaning more towards a Chinese influence.

I am not usually a fan of boiled eggs unless they are soft and come with soldiers, and I do not generally like the taste of aniseed.

That doesn't sound promising but actually I really enjoyed the whole dish. The eggs had soaked up the taste of the sauce and were full of flavour while the star anise was subtle enough not to detract from the overall effect.

Dessert was the surprisingly simple Sopparot Sot Sai Naam Jim - a bowl of fresh pineapple chunks with a sugar-salt and sun-dried chilli flake dip.

It was a refreshing end to a full-bodied meal, which was complemented by a bottle of very drinkable Le Charme, Merlot (£13).

To top off the evening Gary took the plunge and asked Gwaang about the prospect of teaching him the art of Thai cooking. Modest as well as talented, she blushingly agreed - setting Gary on a quest to spice up our own kitchen.

Nadia visited on Tuesday, June 7, 2005

Mason's Bistro Bar, 13 Fossgate, York. Tel: 01904 611919

Website: www.masons-bistro.co.uk

Food: faultless

Service: impeccable

Value: good

Ambience: relaxed

Disabled access: No

Updated: 08:34 Saturday, June 25, 2005