Namh Moon: Carlisle has been blessed with new Thai treasure

Namh Moon, which opened officially yesterday (December 7) on Treasury Court, Carlisle, is the latest restaurant to be added to the city’s culinary scene.

While not the first Thai restaurant in Carlisle, it offers a distinct eating and drinking experience that leaves you satisfied with delicious appetisers, mains, and desserts while keeping you perfectly comfortable and relaxed.

Co-owned by Nueng McGregor, the restaurant’s charming interior of soft, warm lighting, and herbaceous décor, complements its building with large glass window fronts, and feels like a true paradise away from the busy centre streets.

Squid tempura, with a pot of sweet sriracha sauce (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

With my dining partner for the evening, we ordered two appetisers and two mains while quaffing our ice-cold beers.

Fans of Chinese brews will be jubilant to hear that it serves the ever-popular Buddha Beer, and may be the only place in Carlisle that does.

Other options include Singha and Kirin on draught, as well as Chang bottled beer, a hefty but curated selection of wines, the staple spirits, and a handful of cocktails.

Veg gyoza, with a pot of sweet soy vinegar (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

It was Nueng’s intention to create a casual experience that differed from her existing restaurant in Keswick, and you could feel free and welcome to simply enjoy drinks here with little pressure to order full meals, simply ordering a small plate now and then of delicious appetisers, that range from spring rolls, to tofu tamarind, and tempura squid.

These appetisers are roughly £5 to £6 a plate, and a few will satisfy a moderate hunger.

If you’re in for a full meal, you’ll find it difficult to break the bank, as our mains were under £10 each.

Drinks are relatively cheap too for a restaurant, and cheaper than some drink-forward establishments in the city, with most pints of premium imported lager costing roughly £5 or under on average.

The food itself is rich in aromatics, fresh and juicy vegetables, and filling while light.

Tofu jungle curry, served with jasmine rice (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

I ordered squid tempura and tofu jungle curry, which came with jasmine rice, while he ordered vegetable gyoza and mixed veg pad Thai.

The service was also spot on, with waiters providing service at reasonable speed and responding politely to small requests, while also keeping customers feeling comfortable and welcome.

Mixed veg pad Thai (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

Its location – tucked away in Treasury Court off Fisher Street - is almost impossible to simply wander past, and it’s therefore something of a hidden treasure.

Its chance to thrive must fall on word of mouth and social media promotion, then, and it could and maybe even should be a selling point for them – look at the Printyard, equally tucked away but offering an almost exclusive feel, and it’s always buzzing.

Quite simply, if you want Carlisle to host this gem for years to come, you must tell everyone and anyone to head down.

5/5