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Thai Smile - Awards
Thai Select | Thailand's Brand | The Christchurch Press, 2000
The Christchurch Press, 1999 | Bangkok Sunday's Magazine
| Thai Select  on 19th November 2004  Thai Smile Restaurant is the only Thai restaurant in the South Island, and only one of 3 Thai restaurants in New Zealand (other two are Mai Thai and Thai Friends Restaurant in Auckland) to be deemed suitable to qualify for this certificate, awarded by the Prime Minister Office of Thailand only to the restaurants which serve outstanding authentic Thai cuisine.
“Thai Select” is a part of Thai government project called
“Thai cuisine to worldwide”. The purpose of this project is to promote and represent the REAL taste of authentic Thai cuisine to foreigners by only selecting the restaurants outside Thailand which serve delicious and authentic Thai cuisine to attract the non Thais to try, and get to know the real Thai taste, and come to appreciate the the variety of delicious tastes Thai cuisine has to offer. AS of lately there has been excessive unauthentic Thai restaurants opened up around the world. Those restaurants misrepresent the real taste of Thai cuisine, and thus, people who are after the real Thai taste can easily spot the restaurants outside Thailand for symbol of assurance. It is likely that they will not be disappointed if they are after the real Thai taste, and choose the restaurants which have “Thai Select” certification from the Thai Prime Minister Office, vice versa.
The award is sponsored by 5 organisations :
- National Food Institute of Thailand
- Thai Airways International
- Tourism Authority of Thailand
- Department of Export Promotion, Minister of Commerce
- SME (office of Small and Meduim Enterprises promotion)
 The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Jaturon Chaisaeng, and the representatives from all 5 organisations Mentioned above, has officially granted “Thai Smile Restaurant” to use this prestigious symbol of assurance, which certify Thai Smile Restaurant as an outstanding authentic restaurant which serves outstanding authentic Thai cuisine, and it is our duty to maintain our excellent standard and actively promote and represent the real taste of Thai cuisine to all our customers.
The award was granted at Mai Thai restaurant, Auckland ,
on 19 November 2004 .
Click to see the cover
Click to see the details inside
Click to see Thai Select in New Zealand
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Thailand's Brand Symbol of authentic Thai food
* Granted by Department of Export Promotion,
Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
* #1 Given on Monday, 3 April 2000
* #2 Given on Monday, 13 February 2004 |
#1 Given on Monday, 3 April 2000
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#2 Given on Monday, 13 February 2004
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The restaurant in central Christchurch is the first in the South Island to be formally recognised by the Thai Government as a provider of good, authentic Thai food.
Anucha Osathanond, the Thai ambassador to New Zealand, came from Wellington to present the certificate, which celebrates Thai food excellence. "It is basically a seal of approval from our Ministry of Export Promotion," he says.
"The certificate means this place has reached the standard of a five - star Thai rastaurant. It has the right ambience, good food, and a very clean environment."
"Our diversity and refinement symbol means the Thai Government recommends the restaurant."
Only two other Thai restaurants, both in Auckland, have been recognised so far.
Thai Smile has become the 100 th Thai rastaurant to be recognised outside Thailand. The ambassador says the 22 Thai restaurants in Christchurch are testimony to the food's popularity.
He is contemplating organising a Thai food festival in the city. A Wellington Thai food festival attracted 3000 people.
Anong Tiebtienrat, owner-cum-chef at Thai Smile, says she has been cooking almost all her life: "It happens when you are born in a big family. "I learned cooking from my mother and my two elder sisters. It was good training." |
The Christchurch Press by Pramil Masih Friday, March 12, 1999
How lucky we are Another excellent Thai restaurant has arrived on the Christchurch eating scene. The Thai Smile restaurant, which has supplanted Chat Tong, is an elegant establishment with food to match.
We settled for singha beer ($5 each) and the combination entr?e($14) as we tackled the review assignment on a balmy Saturday night. The combination plate featured six different entrees and as expected comprised mainly fried fare, but it was a way to try more flavours.
The pick of the starters were the chicken satay - which was cooked to perfection with a hint of turmeric - and thord mun pla, spicy fish cakes.
The fish cakes were mildly spiced and a pleasant change from the fare I have had at other Christchurch Thai restaurants. The entr?e presentation was canny. a beetroot was cut in to the shape of a rose and presented with a bit of greenery. The sauces complemented the food.
It was a good start. The service was courteous and efficient without being imperious.
For mains, we went for the white variety, electing chicken red curry ($14), deep fried whole fish ($20), and stir-fried king prawns ($16).
Well, we finally got what we were really waiting for the red curry oozed authentic aromatic flavour. We could easily have been in Bangkok. Lemon grass and coriander flavour were omnipresent. The gravy of the chicken red curry was "savour-some"(or should that be awesome), and went down beautifully with steamed rice ($2 a serve). The fish of the day was terakihi, and this whole creature came bathed in a sumptuous triple flavoured sauce. The fish was huge and there was plenty left for the doggy-bag. The king prawn dish came with a "highly recommended" lable and with good reason.The prawns were stir fried in red curry paste, and featured green beans and kaffir lime leaves. The flavours were distinct the result soothing.
The Thai Smile Restaurant has an extensive menu but no desserts.But then, we had no room for dessert after the banquet. The service at the restaurant, which seats 56, is professional, which goes a long way to making one comfortable. The food cost $23 a person - good value for two excellent courses. I shall be back! Pramil Masih. |
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Thai Smile Restaurant, 818 Colombo Street, Christchruch, New Zealand
Tel. / Fax. +64 3 366 2246 or (03) 366 2246 Email: tiebtienrat@yahoo.com
Lincensed & Byo (Wine Only), Open 7 days, only Dinner at 5.00 - 10.00 pm 
Copyright © 2004,
http://www.thaismilenz.com. All rights reserved.
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