ANY new eatery that opens in Stonehaven is immediately greeted with a buzz around the town of: “Have you tried it yet?”

This is usually followed by “you should” or “don’t bother”. This Chinese and Thai takeaway falls firmly into the “you should” category.

The place is not much to look at, with a stark, nearly bare shop front.

But it’s the food that counts and New Taste is easily a cut above, especially when it comes to authentic Thai cuisine like the simply superb traditional jungle chicken curry (£4.20).

A riot of flavours, from lemongrass through to holy basil, this packed a fiery punch that had me treasuring every mouthful. The rich sauce was soaked up by grease-free fried rice (£1.60).

Meanwhile, my other half was delighted with her honey chilli chicken (£3.80). And so she should have been. Two – count ‘em, two – lightly battered chicken breasts in a sauce that was sweet without being cloying, hot without being fierce. Perfection in a plastic dish.

How good was it all? Let’s just say we’ve been back three times since Christmas.