Paeonia Cafe & Bubble Tea Room in Windsor and Maidenhead

We gave this restaurant a glowing review about a year ago but since our last visit, the restaurant is under new ownership. It is also worth noting that this is not a licensed restaurant anymore but you could bring your alcoholic beverages without corkage charge. First thing to say is that in our opinion, this is not an authentic Thai restaurant. Having read recent negative reviews, we were hesitant to book a table but undeterred, we took a chance and booked a table on a Saturday evening. On our arrival, we were surprised that there were no other diners in the restaurant. We ordered our food and it wasn’t long before we received our starters, which were Spring Rolls served with Sweet Chilli Sauce. Spring Rolls were piping hot and tasty however; there was lack of presentation. Our mains, Vegetable Red Curry and Chicken Med Mamuang. The curry was mainly sauce with very few vegetables that should have included bamboo shoots, which were not present. Jasmine Rice served with curry, had a rubbery texture, which suggested that it might have been re-heated in a microwave. On the whole, my meal was at best, edible. The Chicken Med Mamuang was again presented with rubbery textured Jasmine Rice. The dish once again was edible at best. In our opinion, dishes we ate lacked taste, presentation and were fairly pricey compared to what we would have paid in an authentic Thai restaurant. Would we dine at this restaurant again? Sadly not, as we generally like to promote small locally run family restaurants.

It was a very pleasant visit, all the food and drinks were amazing and the special dishes offered for lactose intolerant were good. The service was on point. When asking if it was ok for me to breastfeed my baby I was shown to a private area for our comfort

We ordered the crispy aromatic duck for two to start. The duck was clearly not cooked fresh, and was a bit tasteless and dry The two curries we ordered were tasty, but my lamb was also dry, tasteless and a bit tough. Again clearly not cooked fresh, and added at the end We wanted to order their signature desert, which was Jasmine sorbet, but although i5 was only 8pm on. Thursday evening, they didn’t have it. Unbelievable!

Our love of maliks is finally over. We have used maliks for 20 years, it was a luxury Indian dining experience at its best. The GX restaurant started declining before Covid but since the pandemic it isn’t the same. We’ve spoken to the owner numerous times and can tell the passions there anymore. After 3 pretty bad experiences at the GX outlet we decided to do a last minute dinner at Cookham. Started off nicely, but then the mains came. My lamb shashlik was very tough and fatty, more like rough mutton, not warm and certainly far from sizzling. 2 other dishes were like warm and it felt like they’d been left around or reheated. They did replace two discuss but by the time they came back, this time piping hot and the lamb swapped for chicken the rice and sides were cold and the other two in the family had finished. The bill came and was £181 - not a penny knocked off which we challenged. Still after reducing to £160 it was a very poor experience and for £160 I’d expect much more. All excuses throughout, no apology (common with the GX branch) and didn’t seem to remotely understand it wasn’t acceptable. Maliks used to use the best quality meat and products, but it seems the love of the owner has gone and with us so has our custom for good. 4 less than great experiences in a row says it all and we won’t ever be returning. Sometimes places change and you have to live on and this is one of those ocassion. The brand seems to have acquired an arrogance and complacency that has no place in hospitality and is now just a below average Indian with luxury prices.

Amazing food and above all amazing service, Mr Moin is always on the ball with all customers 🙌 every time we come to Windsor we come to viceroy, a must visit!!!