ISAN Thai is a wonderful new gem in Poole which offers Asian cuisine with a truly authentic touch.

The family run Thai restaurant and takeaway is nestled on Parkstone Road - step over the threshold and you are instantly greeted with a mouth-watering aroma of spices oozing from the kitchen.

Husband and wife - Dorset born Phil and Pornthip Milton - opened the doors in July, 2016.

The restaurant was given a brand new look and the kitchen was revamped into an immaculate working space.

Since then, Isan Thai has firmly established itself as a traditional Isan food specialist, and it’s no surprise as Pornthip knows a thing, or two, about Thai food.

Head Chef Pornthip, 36, was born in north east Thailand, in the Isan region in the province of Udon Thani. She developed a love of food from a young age whilst growing up and is delighted to now be able to share traditional home-cooked specialities that are embedded in her culture.

Pornthip has a real passion for food and is dedicated to offering freshly prepared, home-cooked dishes to local customers.

“I have a big family and learnt to cook whilst growing up at home. I’ve been cooking since I was 5 years old, my grandmother taught me how to cook with different flavours and ingredients. It’s always been part of my family life. I love food and love what I do,” said Pornthip.

“This is an exciting challenge and we’re getting really busy. I’m always thinking about food. We make every dish fresh and it’s true Isan food – unique dishes that you can rarely find here. We have a lot of customers that come here just for our dishes.”

Pornthip is happy to tailor anything to the customer’s tastes and dietary requirements.

Each dish is freshly prepared and cooked by Pornthip and her team. Along with the typical Isan selection of foods, the menu also provides a delicious medley of traditional Thai foods. The selection of authentic Isan dishes really stand out as they are unique and very hard to come by, but Pornthip utilises her expert culinary skills and serves an amazing selection for local diners, both in the restaurant or for takeaway.

Indeed, Thailand is made up of four distinct regions; the south, the centre, north eastern Isan and Northern Thailand. They all have different backgrounds, different food traditions, and different ingredients that they have access to that have formed the cuisine.

In the Isan region on the street of Udon Thani, where Pornthip comes from, you will find street food vendors selling delicious meals that she has reproduced for you to enjoy here. And this local eatery is definitely worth visiting.

Signature dishes

Speciality Isan Dishes:

Sai Grok Isan - Isan local sausage of the north eastern region of Thailand, a mixture of pork with garlic and rice, £5.95.

Isan Papaya - Salad with Isan Green Papaya with Thai chilli, garlic, tomatoes, anchovy and lime juice, £5.95

Mantok - a choice of grilled chicken, pork or beef with lime juice, roasted rice powder, onion, chilli, coriander and spring onion, served on a bed of lettuce, £8.95.