With first-floor premises in Chinatown, this bustling Thai favourite has a powerful allure for customers who like their flavours punchy and without folderol. As the dishes arrive, gales of spice and garlic waft through the dining room (in need of updating, though that doesn’t bother most). Staff are happy to advise on the building blocks of dinner, but it’s difficult to go wrong with these attention-grabbing takes on the classics. Fish and seafood is handled with confidence, so you might choose to share spicy hot and sour soup for two – packed with prawns, mussels, crab, squid and scallops – or grapple with tilapia, fried crisp and served with red curry, coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. The charcoal grill produces dishes such as moo yang (marinated pork with a smoky finish). Alcohol is bring-your-own, with no corkage charge, though there’s a selection of fruity virgin mixed drinks and Thai iced tea.