Thai Corner Cafe

Thai Corner’s Geng Ped (red curry with duck and pineapple) is amazing. The chilli heat may be slightly tempered for puny western tastes, but the balanced layers of flavour are bang on. Veggie dishes seem comparatively pricey: blow for blow, they’re the same cost as chicken or fish. Having said that, you’d struggle to find much above £7, and the flavours are vibrant and exciting. Each zingy plateful knocks spots off the interminable procession of uninventive risottos and beanburgers wheeled out as meat-free alternatives elsewhere. Liberal use of fresh herbs like thai basil and a particularly rich oyster sauce make dishes like Pard Thai really special, and these distinctive ingredients appear to rein in overly liberal use of salt too. If you’re gasping for hydration at the end of the meal, it’s probably got more to do with the BYO policy. The café occupies a minute space that quickly descends into mayhem when full, which is often. It’s loud and hectic, and you have to battle the crowds for a table (and later for service as the waiters dash about). Don’t expect a prissy, polished environment: you’ll struggle to read the menu in the shadows, and you’ll get shunted by the steady stream of hungry folk awaiting takeaways in the absence of a waiting area. All in all, it’s a belter of a neighbourhood restaurant and I look forward to eating my way through the menu.