Giggling Squid is in the town of Farnham in Hampshire. The chain was founded in 2002 by husband and wife Andy and Pranee, taking its name from a nickname they used for one of their sons at the time and originally as a tapas-style menu that aimed to truly recreate the buzz of a Thai mealtime.
From this start in a former fisherman’s cottage in Brighton (which is now a restaurant), Giggling Squid has grown to 49 locations across the UK, ranging from Wimbledon to Harrogate. This founding ethos still drives everything on the menu today, resulting in an authentic lineup of dishes alongside classics from Thai cuisine. Each restaurant retains a general overall decor theme that is then updated with unique touches. Farnham is no exception, as delicate flowers hang from the awnings and natural light streams in throughout.
Sharing is at the heart of dining at the Giggling Squid, just as it is in all Thai mealtimes. The starters and sharing platters range is diverse. Bangkok Bites is a selection of bite-sized meat dishes, including duck spring rolls and spicy Thai herb sausage. Fisherman’s Feast repeats this process for fish and seafood. As well as the likes of soft shell crab and crispy squid bits, there’s also the trademark Thai papaya salad. Standouts from the starters include salt and pepper chilli mushrooms, caramelised pork belly, and hawker-style pork skewers.
For mains, all the usual suspects for a Thai menu feature. Classic curries like green curry, red, curry, and massaman are on offer, alongside special curries like a salmon paneang, slow cooked jungle curry, and spicy double curry seabass. Selecting one of the signature dishes is the best way to try authentic Thai cuisine. These are founder Pranee’s family recipes, such as sticky chicken, drunken ribs, chubby cheek pork, and Thai garlic hake.
Giggling Squid is also available for delivery and click and collect.