More on offer at Chantek

IT'S not many restaurant owners who are so passionate about their menu that they travel for a month each year seeking out new dishes.

But that's exactly what James Taylor, of Truro's Chantek, does.

Inspired by James' recent travels to Cambodia, Chantek is now offering new daily specials with a Cornish twist.

Every year James goes to Asia to sample new flavours and get inspiration for Chantek – on his latest trek he visited the home town of his chefs, Cha am in Thailand, and its famous night markets.

James said: "Our chefs Jeaw, Chai yot and Too grew up in an environment of local abundance and fresh fish on their doorstep and it excites me that they are now applying their skills to the sourcing from the huge range of quality Cornish ingredients to create new dishes."

Thai food is at the hub of Chantek's culinary repertoire, with offshoots into neighbouring cuisines. Move south into the spices of Malaysia and Singapore fusion cuisine, east into herbs and freshness of Vietnamese cuisine, north into aromatic Chinese flavours and north east into the subtlety and simplicity of Japanese and Korean cuisine.

James added: "Cambodia represents a fascinating piece of the jigsaw between Thailand and Vietnam which I have never visited before. It was worth the wait.

"The landscape and cuisine is dominated by water and the inland lake Tonle Sap is a natural wonder of the world that flows downstream for six months of the year and then upstream for six months when fed by the Mekong River in flood. Fish and fresh herbs are abundant and the cuisine draws on a tasty blend of Thai, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine.

"The quality of food is improving as the country rebuilds after past troubles, with many programmes training local people into work, for example the Sala Bai cooking school which has inspired some of our new daily specials."

A tasty winter soup starter comes from a lunch stop in a Cambodian home on stilts by Tonle Sap Lake. It is hot sweet and sour fish soup with pineapple and vegetables. Chantek has given the dish a Cornish flavour by using fresh local pollack.

The joy of the dining experience at the New Bridge Street restaurant is trying something you wouldn't necessarily usually go for.

It's a risky way to eat but you can guarantee that the gamble won't disappoint. The Cambodian soup is a case in point – I wouldn't have been massively excited about a soup mixing pineapple with fish, but it's a revelation.

Another simple and elegant starter is stir-fried prawns with a black pepper and fresh coriander, served with sticky rice.

Aromatic stir fried Cornish beef with lemon grass and water spinach is another twist on a Chantek theme, the water spinach giving it a unique taste.

Reflecting the popularity of fish in Cambodia Chantek has introduced tasty stir-fried sea bass with peanuts, shredded lime leaf and holy basil. Delicate and gorgeous.

There are still those fantastic winter warmers including What's On's favourite – Southern Thai Masaman lamb which mixes gently spiced tender lamb, potatoes and coconut milk.

To make the most of dining at Chantek, it has launched a new members' scheme for 2009 to banish the winter blues with three spectacular offers for members only – half-price starters, free beer and free sauces.

In addition when you become a Chantek member you could win a self-catering chateau holiday for a week for four people in France worth over £700.

By joining the Chantek members' club you become entitled to exclusive offers, invites for special events, members only online reservation and takeaway ordering and even a present on your birthday.

Current membership offers, running until the end of March, are:

● Half price starters every lunch time and in the evening between 6pm and 7pm.

● A free pack of Chantek cooking sauces when four or more people have one of the new set menus.

● Buy two get one free on Tsing Tao beer.

Chantek has also teamed up with Chateau Adventure, to offer a fabulous chateau-based holiday to one of Chantek's new members. Chateau Adventure specialises in activity packages and adventure sports holidays, so you can add on any number of activities you like to your holiday.

All you have to do is come in to Chantek and sign up or join online at www.chantek.co.uk and you will be entered for the prize draw to take place at the end of February.