Plaza Khao Gaeng
Fitzrovia, London
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It may be inspired by a street-food joint in a defunct movie theatre in Bangkok, but this hot-ticket Thai canteen is pure London – located on the mezzanine of the JKS-backed Arcade Food Hall off New Oxford Street. Inside it’s loud, brash and busy, with an obligatory open kitchen, counter seating, strip lights and upbeat sounds plus close-packed tables covered in cute laminate prints. Service is swift and there’s no hanging around – expect to be moved on if your allotted time is up. ‘Khao gaeng’ roughly translates as ‘curry over rice’ and that’s why most people are here: we liked the muu hong (braised pork belly, soft and aromatic with spices and dark soy) – although the beef shoulder massaman curry and a seasonal sour seafood riff also look promising. Stir-fries hit the mark too, judging by our outstanding sea bream, sitting in a deeply flavoursome spicy sauce heady with kaffir lime leaves, chillies and ‘jungle herbs’. Some new season’s jasmine rice (in a bijou enamel pot) makes the perfect foil for both dishes. To begin, try khao yam (puffed rice with crunchy, tangy vegetable salad, served on paper with 'budu' fermented fish sauce to pour over it, DIY-style). To finish, the ‘young coconut pudding’ presented in a pink bowl with refreshing lychee and coloured tapioca pearls comes highly recommended. The specials board is also worth consulting and big groups can dip into the Deep South sharing menu. For refreshment, Thai-themed cocktails, chasers and iced teas are more inviting than beer and wine.
