Best Thai food in London?
 

Anyone? I'm a Thai-food junky and going to London for the first time...heard it is becoming as prevalent as Indian food? <BR>Thanks,<BR>Sia

Sia,<BR><BR>Just returned from London, and although I did not eat there, I hear the Blue Elephant is one of the best.

Esarn Kheaw in Shepherds Bush has the most authentic NorthEast Thai food in London. You can even get Laap! Yummy! Atmosphere leaves something to be desired though. Blue Elephant has fabulous atmosphere and so-so food.

We ate at the Thai Pavilion (Soho). We liked it.

I enjoyed a couple of meals at Silk and Spice in Chalk Farm, just near Camden. I think they have one or two other branches elsewhere in London.<BR><BR>My two favourite local Thai restaurants in North Finchley were both taken over recently, one has become a very mediocre Thai and the other seems to be a french or italian bistro style place.<BR><BR>:(

Same xxx again... Silks and Spice is a mini-chain, and does have good value for money Thai food. (I love Thai food too, and keep looking for a _really_ good Thai place. If I can tempt you to dim sum, try Royal China on Saturday or Sunday. Best dim sum in London, but get there early or you will have to queue for a looooooong time.

If you also like pubs, then there's a growing trend of Thai restaurants in pubs. For example, as revued in Hardens' Guide:<BR><BR>The Walmer Castle <BR>58 Ledbury Rd, W11<BR>"“Good and spicy Thai cooking” and a “great buzz” win ringing endorsements for this “charming room above a Notting HIll pub” – a fave rave for “trendy” twentysomethings."<BR><BR>Another pub:<BR>Churchill Arms, 119 Kensington Church St, W8 <BR>“It’s hard to get a booking, but worth it” at this “cheerful” annexe to a Kensington boozer, where the “freshly cooked Thai dishes for around a fiver” are a “bargain”; service can be “sloppy”.<BR><BR><BR>And for those of you that have heard of Wagamama's:<BR>Busaba Eathai, 106-110 Wardour St W1<BR>“Miles better than Wagamama” (with which it shares a co-founder), this “enjoyable” Soho yearling offers “great-value” Thai food in a “lovely” and unusually stylish communal setting; it’s hugely popular, so “get there early to avoid queueing”.<BR><BR>(I stole all these reviews from Harden's, which is extremely reliable)<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Churchill Arms as mentioned already has great Thai food, and is a wonderfully friendly pub w/ a mad, but hysterical proprietor.

We, too, loved the food at the Churchill Arms when we were there in March.<BR><BR>We tried to eat there a second night, but couldn't get in.<BR><BR>The pub is great, too.

Cheap: <BR><BR>Busaba Eathai, 100 Wardour St<BR><BR>Huge, hip, designed with large wooden tables that seat about 12 people, so there's a lot of table sharing. It's noisy. No reservations, and a queue most nights that goes very quickly. Excellent food at reasonable prices. <BR><BR>Expensive: Sri Thai<BR>Great Compton Street<BR>(not the pink Thai restaurant, a little further up)<BR><BR>Modern Thai with a subdued chi-chi sort of atmosphere. Soho's a nice fun place to be at night, always feels very safe because it's busy and bustling - forget its reputation as a red light district. It IS, but it's also trendy and friendly, but a little overwhelming if you don't like crowds and happy drunks. I love Soho at night.

Try the Thai Pot on Strand, just near to the corner of Waterloo Bridge, near to Aldwych (there's a Caffe Nero and a Pizza Express nearby.) Good, not pricey, fast service. <BR>

All- tried Busaba Eathai while in London, it was in the Soho area, amazing! Highly recommend it. Had the Tried another place close to Harrods, can't remember the name, and it was pretty good too...thanks!<BR>Sia

Thai Square, just off Trafalga Square is good.