Volunteer, Andre Batu, gives us an insight into the cuisine Loughborough has to offer.
Sonny’s Street Food is a place I always end up coming back to. Its nestled on the edge of Loughborough town centre, working itself perfectly into my walk there. I would say I’m having food there once a week on average. The restaurant is welcoming, affordable, and most of all serves up some pretty tasty food.
When you enter Sonny’s, you find a small, cafe-style layout that could probably fit between 30 and 40 people. It has a nice aesthetic; tables have an untreated wooden feel, there are a few pieces of artworks displayed on the walls, and overall it strikes an easy balance between a formal dining area and relaxing meet-up spot. It’s not necessarily geared towards students, however, in the times I’ve been there, I’ve found it’s felt like an extension of campus.
They have a fairly comprehensive selection of Thai food that you can find here. It’s expansive enough that it can cater to those who aren’t too familiar with the blend of Asian cuisine, and to those who know what they like. Their most popular dishes are the Pad Thai, Gang Kiew Wan, Gang Massaman and Gang Panang. Pad Thai is arguably one of the most well-known Thai dishes, a noodle stir fry that, when done well, blends sweet, sour and salty flavours together. Sonny’s get this blend right, making their Pad Thai my go-to order. You’ll get peanuts sprinkled on top, with a slice of lime and chilli flakes to add at your own discretion. You’ll also find a wealth of rice-based dishes, a highlight for me is Pla Rad Prik, a sweet and spicy battered fish on a bed of fluffy white rice. They don’t have a particularly impressive dessert menu, but you can get a portion of Ben and Jerry’s if you’re feeling the craving.
Sonny’s is good for a lunchtime hang out with a friend, or a 2-course dinner with your family. If you’re thinking of going on a Friday or Saturday night, book in advance. Due to the size, the restaurant can get full pretty quickly, and there’s no place inside to wait for a table to free up. You might also find service gets a bit slow when the restaurant is at full capacity, although I’ve never found it bad enough to be frustrating.
I won’t give a rating out of five or anything like that, since I think that might depend on your own expectations and perhaps what your personal tastes are. All I say is that Sonny’s Street food is worth a try! The price won’t put you off and you might discover your go-to comfort good.
Oh, and they deliver!
Featured image by Izzy Brann.
