Back in LA, Kris Yenbamroong has proved that Thai-American cooking and natural wine are a winning combo. Now, he’s testing it in London. In the height of summer, we descend into La Cave to seek a different kind of heat.
There’s certainly a cool buzz to the place, with mineshaft-esque lanterns adding to the below-ground mystique. Quickly, our attention is grabbed by a triple threat of oysters, nam jim and sparkling Chenin Blanc. Yes, the crisp wine and salty mollusc are a time-tested match, but the coffee and garlic-based sauce turns it all on its head to wondrous ends.
Everything gets more west coast with the arrival of fried chicken and garlic bread. The chicken is crisp and succulent, but without much seasoning of its own, relies heavily on the chilli and ranch sauces that accompany it. The garlic bread, however, is far more interesting. Fluffy toasted milk bread provides a base, while creamy garlic spread and fiery prik tum battle it out on top. Our wine is again perfectly chosen by the manager, this time a super-funky orange from Slovakia.
Suddenly, the magic somewhat dwindles. ‘Shrimp bikini’ arrives as slightly stodgy pancakes, with only a vague hint of prawn at their core. Elsewhere, vegan larb fritters are betrayed by tofu’s inherent crumbliness, and we are quickly left with un-dippable rubble.
But then, a saving grace. Yenbamroong’s signature crispy rice salad is marvellous, a bouquet of textures and flavours with plenty of zing. A cherry-coloured henge of five-spice ribs soon follows, eliciting sauce-covered grins all round. We wrap things up with a surprising yet effective sundae, featuring the saltiest caramel we’ve ever had and smashed-up spicy beer nuts.
The idea here certainly has legs. Hopefully, by the end of its stint in the incubator, it’ll be able to fly the nest and find somewhere permanent. La Cave’s wine and service, meanwhile, will have us coming back - no matter the menu.