Review – Giraffe World Kitchen, Chelmsford

I’ve visited Giraffe World Kitchen in Chelmsford several times now. It’s a great place to grab a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They also have a good selection of dishes suitable for vegetarians too. So, when the nice folks at Giraffe World Kitchen offered the chance to try their new menu – it was a no brainer.

We popped out for an early dinner on Sunday, it was 6.30pm and the restaurant was nice and quiet. They were aware we were in there for a review meal, so the service was swift and warm. Thankfully, as we’ve been to this Giraffe World Kitchen as a ‘civilian’ before, the service is always good.

The New Menu

I’d already got a few favourites on the Giraffe menu, however, the revamp has seen these removed. However they have been replaced with some great offerings. There is also the option of Tapas too, which is a massive bonus! There was also a promotion on where they offered a free bottle of wine if you ordered five or more Tapas dishes. The menu from the night is below.

Instantly, my eyes were drawn to the Nachos Nirvana for a starter, and the Indo-Coco Curry for a main. Miss A opted for the Garlic & Rocket Flatbread and the Vada Pav. Unfortunately, the waiter came back to the table after taking the order to say the Vada Pav wasn’t available. It’s annoying when the few vegetarian choices are reduced further. Miss A swapped to the Crispy Patatas Bravas and the Halloumi and Feta Pida.

The Food

Our starters quickly arrived, the Nachos Nirvana was probably suitable for two to share. However, I LOVE Nachos, so I polished them off quickly by myself. As well as the black bean chilli, Monterey Jack, guacamole, sour cream, jalapeños and chipotle, there was a bit of sweetcorn too. I’ve never had this with Nachos before, however it worked! I tried a bit of Miss A’s Crispy Patatas Bravas too, the tomato sauce was thick and delicious, and the garlic aïoli finished it off nicely.

The mains were again, delivered to the table swiftly. My Indo Coco Curry was very mild, it could have perhaps done with a little more kick. However there was a good depth of flavour – this was a very nice Curry. Miss A’s Pida (which she opted to have the Feta removed from, and more Halloumi added) was delicious. I was grateful that it was a little too much for her as I got more than a cursory taste. The Baba Ganoush base was superb, and the yoghurt on top finished it off beautifully.

PUDDING TIME!

Thankfully the dishes at Giraffe aren’t stupidly large, so there was plenty of room for Pudding. Miss A opted for 3 scoops of Gelato, and I had the ‘Whoopie Cookie’. Miss A seemed happy with her Gelato. My Whoopie Cookie was, disappointing, the ‘Cookie’ aspect felt a little overcooked. I was wanting a little ‘squidge’ in the cookie, however it was VERY hard. Don’t get me wrong – it was passable, just not the standard of the first two courses.

Facilities

Giraffe World Kitchen in Chelmsford is very accessible for those less able, there’s no step in, and there is plenty of room for wheelchair users. The decor is fun and quirky, and similar to other branches. I did see a few dead lightbulbs, and miss matched spot lights. Overall the main restaurant area is very clean and tidy, and well presented. I think perhaps the toilets need a bit of love, or at least a deep clean, they weren’t up to the standard of the rest of the restaurant.

Overall

If you want interesting, well made food, I’d certainly recommend Giraffe World Kitchen. The food is reasonably priced, as is the drink, and the atmosphere is excellent. Sure, the dessert wasn’t spot on, and it’s in need of a little love in places – however it’s somewhere a bit different to the other chains in Chelmsford.