There’s A Reason Why Everyone Wants A Booking At AngloThai
I had heard the rumours. The restaurant that won a Michelin star within three months of opening. The place that sprang up on awards lists quicker than most of us finish probation at work. The unassuming spot that came out of nowhere and then grabbed the attention of every self-respecting food critic in the city. It’s not even been a year since the restaurant opened, and already, AngloThai has firmly cemented itself as the favourite child of London’s Gods of Sustenance. Naturally, this enthusiastic food writer had to visit. Here’s my experience at one of London’s hottest bookings right now…
What sets it apart
I love Thai food. A good green curry can turn my day around. I go to the Thai food-to-go spot near the office at least twice a week. I have a secret spot in Marble Arch that I return to every time I’m in the area – no reservations needed, and no, I will not tell you the name because I’d like to continue to be able to walk in whenever I please. (Gatekeeping is cool again). So the expectations were high when I walked into AngloThai. I always have my doubts about restaurants that try and fuse cuisines together – sometimes it works, sometimes it just doesn’t. I’ve grown up eating Anglo-Indian cuisine – pork roasts, railway mutton curry, pepper water, dry fry, all of these are well-spiced dishes with traditional Indian masalas that preserve those exciting flavours. AngloThai does something similar with Thai food. It doesn’t shy away from the boldness of Thai spices and flavours, but it also celebrates the use of locally sourced, British ingredients. So what you get is a balancing act between sweet and salty, spicy and sour, and everything on the menu is always a little bit of a surprise.
Our experience
There’s an aura of calm when you walk into AngloThai – the kitchen must be busy, but it doesn’t translate to the dining room. The interiors are designed by Thai-American designer May Redding, who draws inspiration from contemporary Thai design. You’ll find colourful, freeform ceramics sourced from studios in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, and the pieces add a bit of theatre to your dining experience.
There’s an aura of calm when you walk into AngloThai – the kitchen must be busy, but it doesn’t translate to the dining room.
When you walk in, you have the feeling that you can leave your worries with the rain at the front door; this is a place where you will be taken care of.
It makes sense then that this is a family-run place. Run by husband and wife duo, John and Desiree Chantarasak, the food here is inspired by John’s dual Thai and British heritage, and highlights ingredients from the British Isles while focusing on the bold flavours of Thai cooking.
There is charcoal cooking involved, all kinds of coconut preparations that you never would have heard of before (coconut smoking is a thing), and some high-heat wok action is central to the madness behind AngloThai’s carefully curated dishes. And while the food looks like contemporary art on your plate, it’s all done while respecting traditional Thai cooking methods. There’s no detail left unfinished. Curry pastes are hand-made. Coconut cream is freshly pressed. The art on the walls is handpicked.
It’s like going to someone’s house for dinner that they’ve spent 5 hours cooking for you – it feels personal.
Everyone who comes to your table to serve you your next course seems to be genuinely excited to see what you think of each dish.
What we ordered
To start with, the drinks. The cocktail menu is short, sweet and again, doesn’t shy away from the surprises. I went for the seabuckthorn margarita – made with Ojo De Tigre mezcal, Chinotto Nero (an Italian soft drink known for its bitter orange flavour), and verjus with a deliciously salted rim. It’s strong enough to know that you’re drinking, but not so strong that you won’t order another…The wine menu is also here to impress, focusing on wines from lesser recognised regions like Austria that the team says are better suited to the bold cooking at AngloThai.
You don’t have to make any big decisions when it comes to food here – there’s a tasting menu with a couple of optional supplements. To start with, you get a tiny bit of a salty, sour soup that serves as a palate cleanser. It’s got a strong lemongrass flavour that sets the tone for the rest of the meal – it was like a mini tom yum, but it instantly alerted my taste buds that something major was coming.
Next was a lamb herbal sausage that comes with apple and aubergine relish, and a Carlingford oyster with green chilli and pine. Up until this point, it all feels like a trailer, clearly indicating that the film is just about to get really good.
Credit: Ben Broomfield
The next bit really stands out for me. Coconut ash crackers are artfully presented in little star shapes that you can break open to reveal a delicious emulsion made from grilled brown crab roe, and dotted with elderflower vinegar gel. Caviar is served separately, floating on a bed of coconut and crab, and I am told to slather the caviar onto the cracker. Crab, caviar and coconut with a hint of Thai bird’s eye chilli – it’s an explosion of flavour that you don’t see coming. It also comes with an additional price tag of £35. Don’t think about it, just do it. A spicy beef tongue jungle curry comes with a beautiful brioche that’s buttery and sweet. The sweetness of the bread balances out the spicy curry perfectly.
Each dish is carefully crafted and perfectly timed to make sure the flavour hits just right.
Andrea, Contributing Food, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
Just when you feel like you might be good for some veggies, a wok-fired bowl of greens appears with clams hidden between the leaves. And finally, a pink pork chop with galangai and peach puree. The pork is succulent, lightly flavoured and melts in the mouth. I love it when meat and fruit are paired well, and this one just feels like a satisfying end to your meal. (Not counting dessert, of course). To end, you get another optional palette cleanser and a dessert that’s a Thai tea-flavoured sorbet.
The verdict
AngloThai is that overachieving employee who nails it in the first week, and everyone knows it. Each dish is perfectly timed and carefully curated so that the flavours hit at just the right place and time. In a city like London, where new openings are a daily affair, it’s hard to find a place that stands out. But AngloThai feels like a breath of fresh air. When it comes to pricing, it’s obviously not cheap, but at £65 per person for lunch, I found it a lot more affordable than other tasting menus I’ve had in London that offer much less for a huge price tag. Next on my list- the dinner menu.
