Jacques Aubergine Restaurant Review – Samsara Thai Restaurant & Bar (Birkdale Village)

Photo: Mr Aubergine visits Samsara

Dear Connoisseurs I am Jacques Aubergine, a lover of good food and drink. I have eaten at some very good restaurants and some very bad restaurants across the British Isles.

I have had service that was excellent and service that I just wouldn’t recommend!

This will be your local guide to gastronomy! I will review the quality of the food, service, value for money and ambience, as well as my overall impression.

For potential diners, you will gain a helpful guide of the place to, or not to dine.

The only catch is that the restaurant will not know that I am coming, so you, the readers of otsnews will get an unbiased review of Southport’s restaurants have to offer you!

Bon appetite

My friend and I visited this restaurant on busy Saturday evening. We were greeted with a smile at the downstairs reception, a very helpful young man was efficient and professional at his role.

First impressions very good beautifully decorated bar area and nice drinks menu, always a good start.

Whilst waiting for my friend to arrive I ordered Gin & tonic with a slice of cucumber, which was perfect (I cannot abide soggy cucumber)

When my friend arrived we were taken upstairs to the restaurant by a charming man ’front of house’ Sean.

On entering the restaurant it had a nice buzz about it, lightening and music perfect for a saturday evening.

We ordered a lovely bottle of the house wine recommended by Sean which when brought to the table we were given some complimentary prawn crackers. A nice touch and not just your average prawn cracker!

Myself and my friend opted for the Samsara Combination, this was a good amount of food for a starter, pork wraps, chicken wings, chicken satay, spare ribs, crispy prawn rolls, spring rolls and a selection of fresh sauces.

£13:95

Photo: Samsara Combination

For the main course  

I asked Sean, ‘front of house’ what the chefs best dish was and he recommended Crispy Seabass with Sweet Chilli Oil.

One word ‘wow’, I’m not usually a fish man but this was delicious, three fillets of Seabass sat upon a very clean spicy chilli oil stir fried with crunchy vegetables.

It was that good I was left wanting more…

£17:95

Photo: Crispy Seabass with Sweet Chilli Oil

My friend ordered the Beef in Oyster Sauce with coconut rice. (£11.95) When it arrived the smell was mouth watering. Piping hot and beautifully presented making the dish look so tempting, the beef in the sauce had plenty of mixed green vegetables.

My friend ate every bit of the dish and said it tasted so fresh with lots of flavour reminding her of tastes from visiting Thailand and eating there.

We both felt portion size was perfect leaving me just enough room for a dessert! I simply could not resist the coconut ice cream to cool me down on the warm summer evening!

My friend ordered a Jasmine Tea £2.50 , clearly she was watching her figure…women!

Again the dessert was beautifully presented arriving in a coconut shell, a lovely idea.

£4.95

We both throughly enjoyed are meal, friendly and attentive staff in beautiful surroundings what more can you want.

Southport definitely needed this restaurant and I would put it up there as one of the best.

Ambience  10/10

Service  10/10

Quality of the food 1o/10

Value for money  9/10

Overall impression  9.5/10

Click here to view all Jacques restaurant reviews

Samsara Thai Restaurant & Bar – 47 Weld Road, Birkdale, Southport, Merseyside PR8 2DS

Samsara Website

Opening Times