Sixth Squid
Giggling Squid, the fast-growing Thai restaurant chain, is to open a new 98-seater venue Reigate, Surrey on 17th July. The latest opening will take the group’s total number of venues to six, adding to sites in Brighton, Hove and Crawley in Sussex, Tunbridge Wells in Kent and Henley in Oxfordshire. A seventh Giggling Squid is scheduled to open later in the year in Marlow in Buckingahmshire.
Giggling Squid, which opened its first restaurant in 2009 in Hove, has established a strong reputation for its authentic, rustic and fresh Thai cooking with the emphasis on street food and coastal specialities. The food, described by The Times as “exciting”, is prepared by master Thai chefs using fresh ingredients, sourced locally where available.
The lunch menu offers a choice of six Tapas-style ‘tasting sets' that allow diners to sample several of different dishes in a single sitting, costing between £8.00 and £10.50. Thai Tapas dishes can also be ordered one at a time with 16 individual dishes priced under £3.90.
The evening menu is more extensive with about 40 dishes available. The ever popular Thai Green Chicken Curry is £8.50. The signature “Giggling Squid” – steamed baby squid filled with minced chicken, squid and herbs with basil and chilli – is £10.50.
Giggling Squid owners, husband-and-wife team Andrew and Pranee Laurillard have invested £350,000 in the site of the former Puccino Café on Reigate High Street, having first viewed the location 3 years ago. But the project was first beset with planning delays, then with complications of modernising a 4-storey listed building, then the discovery of a 60 cubic metre tunnel beneath the 250 year old building.
Following pre publicity in the local press and on radio, about the discovery of the gaping hole beneath restaurant in May, eager locals have been knocking on the door asking builders when the restaurant will open. Now illuminated, the “Black Hole of Reigate” is an integral feature of the restaurant.
The pair share ambitious expansion plans, intending to extend their operations to 80 sites over the next 7 years.
“We expect to encounter growth issues when we reach 10 sites and need to put in another management tier – but we are already experiencing significant economies of scale and we learn with each new opening,” said Andrew, adding, "There are no national Thai restaurant chains despite the increasing popularity of the cuisine - we intend to be the first - it's all about getting the food right."
The Laurillards have just relocated from their home in Hove and moved to Surrey.
“We’ve fallen in love with Surrey and from a logistical point of view, with plans to expand the business north round the M25 and west along the M4, it also makes sense to be located here,” said Andrew.
Giggling Squid, 65 High Street, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9AE
Website: gigglingsquid.com
