There was a time, a decade or so ago, when it seemed like every pub in the land was experimenting with a Thai menu - with wildly varying results.

Looking back, the trend faded almost as quickly as it emerged. I have to admit I was never greatly enamoured, my interest in pub food usually stretching as far as a bag of salt and vinegar, maybe a pickled egg if I'm feeling flush.

That said, I can see why Thai cuisine made sense.

Its most famous dishes are one-wok wonders, cooked quickly, and packing just enough heat to get your regulars reaching for another cold beer.

But, as with many seemingly simple dishes, it is still all too easy to get it wrong, cut corners, and serve up something that fails to do justice to a great culinary tradition.

So it was that my wife and I arrived at the Park Inn on Monday night filled with a slight sense of trepidation.

This is a proper community boozer, much-loved by its regulars, but never previously a destination to find itself on any foodie maps of Folkestone's best bites.

In fact, at the turn of the year it looked like this popular pub was going to be lost entirely.

The previous long-serving landlord and landlady, Dave and Jackie Sadler, pulled their last pints on New Year's Eve and it seemed the imposing building on the edge of Radnor Park could be in the sights of property developers.

Salvation, however, was just around the corner, in the form of new owner Chris Brown and his partner Yaya.

Already running a Thai restaurant in the town, Thong Dees in Sandgate Road, they saw the chance to expand their empire and save the pub from permanent closure.

And although they were keen for the Park Inn to remain a very traditional English watering hole, they have now started offering a small menu of Thai classics on Monday evenings.

Taking our seats amid the post-work drinking crowd, we gave the menu the once over.

It's compact, five curries and stir fries offered with a choice of rice or noodles, and four smaller side dishes.

I opt for the green curry with rice (£12). While my wife might chide me for a conservative pick, I reckon it always pays to see how well a new place handles a staple dish.

She picks the pad gra pao with rice noodles (£12), a street food staple with a more fiery kick than the green or red curries on offer.

On the side we go for the fish cakes and the chicken satay skewers (each £5), all to be washed down with a pint of Beavertown's session IPA, Neck Oil (£5.50).

It doesn't take long before our food starts emerging from the kitchen, and the initial signs look promising.

The chicken skewers look nice and plump. The slightly irregular shape of the fishcakes is a decent clue that they are prepared in-house.

I'm straight into the chicken. The meat is just as good as it looks and the satay sauce is fantastic - it tastes so fresh, and the flavour of the peanut comes through beautifully.

I grudgingly offer one skewer in return for a try of the fishcakes, which are lovely and meaty - none of your bulking with potato here - and are again flavoured perfectly.

Our main dishes arrive as we are polishing off the sides, delivered with a smile by our server, who is attentive without being overbearing.

Initially, based on looks alone, I am left feeling somewhat envious of the pad gra pao. It looks great, lots of vibrant colours, and the noodles look really inviting.

Green curry and rice, on the other hand, is a dish I think you'll struggle to make beautiful.

But it's a case of books, covers, etc. From my first mouthful, I am in love.

I've had a few Thai green curries in my time, and its never been a dish that has captivated me. This, however, is next level.

The flavours are deep and satisfying. Every mouthful comes through just as rich and rewarding as the last, the chicken is succulent, the vegetables offering just the right counter-balancing crunchiness.

There is even a hint of spicy heat, which isn't something I've always associated with green curries when cooked in this country, which can sometimes come out a little insipid.

So entranced am I with my meal, I had almost failed to notice my dining companion becoming ever-so-flustered beside me.

Whereas my curry only warranted the one-chilli warning on the menu, the pad gra pao scored a two, and it was fair to say it was packing a bit more of a punch.

I reached in to take a forkful, and it was delicious. Certainly fiery though, and I think it would probably be a bit much for my palate. Those of you who love the heat, however, should get on it.

Plates cleared, we looked at each other with a satisfied smile and unanimously agreed the meal had more than exceeded our expectations. From now on there is every chance that, in our house at least, Monday night is Thai night.

Out of five:

Food: Absolutely fantastic. The ingredients seemed fresh and the flavours were perfect. Better than you have any right to expect from your local boozer ****

Drink: The Neck Oil was good, a welcome addition since the pub reopened. I'll never quite get over a £5.50 pint, but that's just me showing my age ***

Decor: A refurbishment under the new owners has given the place a new lease of life. But remember, this is a pub, not a restaurant ***

Staff: The welcome was warm and the service just as you'd like it. Chris, Yaya and their team are clearly doing a great job ****

Price: Two courses and a drink for two came in at £45, which given the quality of the grub is very reasonable indeed ****