THAI Sabai is the new kid on Headingley's already crowded culinary block. Specialising, as the name kind of suggests, in Thai cuisine, it has quite a task on its hands to muscle in on a market that already boasts two excellent Thai restaurants nearby.
Jino's round the corner on Otley Road and Sala Thai on Shaw Lane have already firmly established themselves in the hearts and minds of local diners.
There is also a lot for Thai Sabai to live up to when it comes to its location.
The restaurant occupies the former home of the popular Ferret Hall Bistro, whose sudden departure came as a bit of a shock to its regulars.
At the moment the restaurant is still forging its own identity.
The signs have changed but the colour scheme, lighting and layout are still those of the previous occupants.
However, plans are afoot to paint the exterior an alluring red to match the restaurant's branding and the interior will also get a dramatic makeover.
Authentic Thai carvings, hangings and other decorations are currently winging their way across the ocean to Leeds to replace the hastily-hung photographs of Thailand.
The layout may also change to fit in with the new look, the restaurant currently feeling a little crammed.
But all this is mere cosmetics.
The most vital ingredient if Thai Sabai is to pack the punters in is, of course, the food.
And on this score the restaurant does not disappoint. In fact, it positively sparkles.
So much so that you can't help but feel mighty smug as you watch the students troop along on the street outside, polystyrene boxes from the takeaways down the road clutched in their hands.
Be warned, however, that it may take you a little time to decide which dishes to go for.
There are around 90 on the Thai Sabai menu, which in some restaurants would leave you worried that the emphasis is on quantity rather than quality.
Such a comprehensive selection can be a sign that a restaurant has spread itself too thin and the result will be a meal that disappoints.
But there need be no fears on that score when it comes to Thai Sabai.
The only disappointment here is that you can't choose everything on the menu, it all sounds so delicious.
Perhaps this is their cunning ploy to keep you coming back on a regular basis.
As we wrestled with our order we were provided with some Thai prawn crackers served with a delicious sweet chilli dipping sauce.
Taste buds duly whetted, I opted for the Tom Yum seafood soup (£4.50) while my dining partner plumped for the Tod Man Pla - spicy Thai-style fish cakes (£3.95).
Other options that caught our eye included the Gai Hor Bai Toey - seasoned chicken pieces wrapped in Pandan leaves, steamed then flash fried and served with sweet chilli sauce (£4.50) - and the Tod Man Khao Pod - deep fried sweetcorn cakes with curry paste and herbs served with hot and sour sauce (£3.50).
When the Tom Yum soup arrived it more than lived up to its billing as a lively broth chock-full with mussels, squid, cod, prawns, ginger, chillis and herbs.
It looked great and tasted still better. Quite simply it was delicious, the flavours complementing each other perfectly while delivering a welcome little kick at the same time.
My partner's fish cakes were equally good. They were dressed with crushed peanuts and came with a fantastically tasty sweet and sour sauce, sealing a very confident start to the meal.
Generous
I next decided to test Thai Sabai's mettle by opting for an old favourite in Gang Kiew Wan (£7.95), which is Thai green chicken curry to me and thee.
The portion was particularly generous, as was the portion of egg fried rice that accompanied it.
A creamy, aromatic sauce contained plenty of chunks of tender chicken, chillies, peppers, lemongrass and herbs, adding up to a dish that equalled anything I have tasted at Headingley's more established Thai eateries.
My partner went with one of the house specialities, whole sea bass.
Now, there are no fewer than five options when it comes to how you want you sea bass prepared at Thai Sabai, four of them involving the fish being deep fried.
She opted for the other version, which sees the fish steamed and served amid a bed of Pak Choi, chinese leaf, lemongrass, Thai ginger and lime leaves.
The result was the equivalent of a fireworks display for the tastebuds, though crucially not one flavour overpowered the other.
The accompanying hot and sour sauce dipping sauce proved equally delicate but delicious.
Main course alternatives include the intriguingly-named Weeping Tiger, marinated rump steak chargrilled and served with specially prepared chilli sauce (£8.95) and the Gang Ped Phed Yang, roast duck cooked with red curry paste, coconut milk, tomato, pineapple and grapes (£8.95).
A full range of stir fries and rice and noodles dishes are also available and vegetarians will have a field day too thanks to an impressive vegetarian menu which offers plenty of choice for non-meateaters.
Meals can be washed down with a good selection of wines, though only a few are served by the glass, and beers including Thai favourites Singha and Chang.
In the interests of this review, I somehow found enough room for a dessert, opting for the Baked Thai Custard (£3.25), while my partner went for the Gloey Bwaat Chee, bananas cooked in coconut milk (£3.25).
Neither of us regretted our acts of selflessness. My Thai Custard was a light, flavoursome sponge which was nicely complemented by the accompanying dollop of ice cream.
The Gloey Bwaat Chee was warm and creamy, ideal fare for a dark Autumn night, and both dishes provided the perfect end to what was just about the perfect meal.
On this evidence Thai Sabai will not only survive in the competitive world of Headingley's Thai restaurants, it will flourish.

star ratings

FOOD...............*****
VALUE..............*****
ATMOSPHERE.........****
SERVICE............*****

*****EXCELLENT ****VERY GOOD *** GOOD
** AVERAGE * POOR

Opening Hours: Every day: Noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm. Takeaway menu avaialble same hours Sun-Thurs and noon-2.30pm and6pm-8.30pm Fri-Sat
Parking: On street spaces
Disabled access: Main dining area on ground floor.
Credit cards: Yes
Tel No: 0113 2758613
Children: Welcome