IT may only have been open a matter of months, but Tiien Westbourne already has a friendly, welcoming feel.

The intimate eaterie is situated on the ground floor of the refurbished FAB Hotel in West Cliff Road and is the third restaurant in the Tiien Thai chain, which also has branches in Bournemouth and Broadstone.

Catering for 45 diners, the restaurant has a focus on authentic Thai cuisine, but also serves English classics such as steak and chips.

With the restaurant open to both hotel guests and local residents alike, manager Medi Vahdati is aware of the importance of serving something for all tastes.

"The menu is very similar to the other restaurants," he explains, "it's just a bit of a smaller version.

"Because we've got the hotel above, we offer a steak. The quality of the meat is very, very good. It's steak and chips, or mashed potato. But you can choose to have a sauce with it, or a Thai sauce.

"We also do a Thai steak which is very, very popular. But with the steak, I think it's the maturity of the meat that gives it the taste. Ours is 30 days matured."

When it comes to the Thai dishes, everything is cooked and prepared as it would be in Thailand, but Medi is open to adapting the menu to suit his customers' tastes.

"Some of the food, we ask the customer what they would like," he says.

"Everything is cooked to order, so it can be changed. Some people we give them a green curry, mild. They can choose what they want. We try to give them a choice.

"If you don't like mushrooms, we will put something else in for you, whatever you want. And if it doesn't taste good, we let you know that the chef doesn't think that this combination is good."

The same dishes remain on the main menu, with specials added every three months, according to what local produce is in season.

Medi is keen that all the ingredients - with the exception of some traditional Thai seasonings - are sourced locally wherever possible.

The dishes are put together at Tiien Westbourne by head chef Tay Veerapad, who has worked with the award-winning restaurant chain since finishing his course at Weymouth College two years ago.

He clearly has a flair for Thai cooking, after helping at his family's restaurant back home in Thailand growing up.

"My grandmother liked cooking, so she always taught me, and my mother as well," smiles Tay, who moved to the UK six years ago.

"I think I'm good at cooking, compared to other things, and I learn to cook quickly."

Tay, 22, was trained by a chef at one of the other Tiien branches, and has now taken over as head chef at the new restaurant in Westbourne.

Local residents have welcomed the new eaterie with open arms, and Medi is already recognising some repeat customers.

The hotel, which took nine months to refurbish and now boasts ten luxurious, contemporary bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms, is also proving popular.

"It's something really nice and cosy," says Medi of the ambience at both the hotel and the ground floor restaurant.

"It's a bit posh, maybe, but prices are not too high. That's what we try do to.

"It's been very well received."

:: tiienthairestaurant.co.uk/westbourne

SIGNATURE DISH:

Duck with tamarind sauce

The duck is already roasted, cover in flour and put in the deep fat fryer for a few minutes until the skin is crispy.

Tamarind sauce - prepare in a wok with palm sugar, tamarind, normal sugar, fish sauce and ketchup - sticky sweet flavour.

Cut the cooked duck into thick slices and serve on a bed of pak choi, top with cashew nuts and crispy fried shallots.