London has had decent Thai restaurants for decades, with menus dominated by Thailand’s national dish, Phad Thai and green or red curry. These dishes are great but recently there’s been an explosion of Thai street food and more unusual options available across the city, in posh restaurants, cafes and hipster joints. With Bangkok frequently topping lists of the best street food cities in the world, Londoners are fortunate to have such an excellent range of places to enjoy one of the world’s favorite cuisines. Here are five of the best.
1. Som Saa
Having received rave reviews for their east-end pop up two years ago, Chef Andy Oliver and business partner Tom George found a permanent location for Som Saa just down the road from Spitalfields Market. Som Saa, in an airy, former warehouse with exposed brick, has a buzzy atmosphere and hurrah, despite being on the edge of hipster Hoxton, the music is very cool but not too loud. We opted for the tasting menu which proved to be an excellent choice with mu hong, a southern style soy braised pork belly, as one of the highlights.
A prawn dish of gung pao nahm phrik mapraow, was a first course with an unexpected kick to it at the end. A green papaya salad with beans, peanuts and tomatoes was a refreshing touch between the spicier courses. To finish, salted palm sugar ice cream may not sound like anything special but this is one of the best desserts in the city, in both Thai and non-Thai restaurants. Fantastic, authentic food, great service and ambience, Som Saa deserves all its accolades and repeat visits from all Thai food lovers.
Som Saa, 43A Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London, E1 6BD Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 7790
2. Kiln
As one of the most popular and talked about restaurants in London, it’s no surprise that Kiln in Soho won the UK’s Best Restaurant title in the 2018 National Restaurant Awards. And the title is well deserved. Founded by Ben Chapman and Brian Hannon in 2016, they’ve got everything just right from the seemingly effortless chic and hip decor to their phenomenal Thai menu. Kiln offers simple, satisfying dishes that combine Burmese, Yunanese and Laos spicing and flavors. Head chef Nick Molyviatis’s food is cooked over open flames with a nod to the road style cooking of rural Thailand. Some of the dishes are very spicy but the chefs are able to tone them down on request. The emphasis is on fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Grower Sean O’Neil supplies Thai and Chinese herbs and vegetables while pigs are bred for Kiln by Phillip Warren Farmers. Dayboat seafood is delivered fresh each morning.
We tried a variety of dishes including lagoustines with lime and mint, cumin flavored lamb skewers, stir fried squid with garlic and chives and Burmese style ginger and beef cheek curry. A highlight was a dish with the curious combination of Tamworth pork belly and brown crab meat in clay pot baked glass noodles. Diners watch the chefs from their seats at the long counter that runs the length of the restaurant. With only 22 counter seats and four tables downstairs and a no reservation policy, get there early to avoid disappointment.
Kiln, 58 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TL
3. Farang
Another Thai popup that’s become permanent due to popular and critical acclaim is Farang in Highbury, North London. Set in a former traditional Italian restaurant that was run by the grandfather of Farang owner Dan Turner, the original decor lends a slightly kitsch air. Chef Seb Holmes has top Thai food credentials having worked at Peckham’s Begging Bowl and Soho’s Smoking Goat before joining Farang. The restaurant offers Modern Thai street food showcasing the very best fresh Thai and British produce. We started with a brilliant version of miang, the classic appetiser of minced prawns mixed with green mango, ginger, and peanuts in a taramind and palm sugar sauce served with betal leaves. Also fantastic is gai prik, delicious crispy boneless chicken pieces, coated in a sweet and salty fish sauce glaze with lime, herbs and chilli sauce. And gaeng massuman neau, a braised beef curry with ginger, peanuts and basil, is melt in your mouth delicious. If you’re really hungry or like me, terrible at choosing, go for the feasting menu (£45) which serves up everything on the menu, including dessert (around a dozen dishes) or the slightly more modest tasting option (£40) which offers the same except only one of the three large plates.
Farang, San Daniele, 72 Highbury Park, London N5 2XE Tel: +44 (0)20 7226 1609
4. Rosa’s
Rosa’s is a popular mini chain of 13 Thai restaurants across London and I visited the brightly decorated Soho location. Chef Saiphin prides herself on creating authentic Thai dishes reminiscent of the cooking on her family farm back in Khao Kho. While the much loved green curry is perfectly cooked and a firm bestseller here, our favorite was the beef massaman curry packed with potatoes, cashew nuts and fragrant spices. A close second dish was “drunken” flat noodles (guay tiew pad kee mao) stir fried with basil, peppercorn and galangal. And I never tire of the famous stir fried noodle dish, Pad Thai, an excellent version of which is on offer at Rosa’s.
Rosa’s, 48 Dean Street, London, W1D 5BF Tel: +44 (0)20 7494 1638
5. Greyhound Cafe
Greyhound Cafe in Fitzrovia has a loud, young clientele but the Bangkok street food more than makes up for the slightly hectic atmosphere. And there is a large outdoor patio to escape to when the London weather permits. Popular Phad Thai is on offer here too but with an interesting twist of seared scallops instead of prawns or chicken. A wok prepared rice dish with crab meat is pleasingly flavoured with garlic and chilli. Greyhound Cafe brings Bangkok to London with traditional recipes handed down from generations past, to riotous dishes from street markets, to improvised contemporary plates.
Greyhound Cafe, 37 Berners street London W1T 3LZ Tel. +44 (0)20 3026 3798
