Review: Sri Thong

I had been meaning to try Sri Thong for a while now. I finally got a group and went there this evening. From the exterior the restaurant looks chic, relaxing and inviting. The interior is modern, spacious and delicate. I loved the rose on each table. It was a nice touch. Each table also came with a complementary rice crisp basket. 

We started with appetisers, duck spring rolls, as recommended by our server and chilli squid. 

Duck Spring Rolls: Shredded duck with glass noodles and crunchy vegetables wrapped in wanton pastry and deep fried 

Chilli squid: Squid with a light tempura deep fried and tossed in the wok with fresh chilli and crisped garlic

The duck spring rolls were crispy on the outside and soft and flavourful on the inside. The sweetness of the noodles was pleasant and went well with the savoury shredded duck. The chilli squids were definitely the star. They were meaty and soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. They went very well with the chilli and crisped garlic. Both spring rolls and squids were cooked to perfection, just golden, not undercooked or overcooked. Loved it.

As for the entrees we went with the following: 

Yum Spinach: Deep fried spinach and stir fried fine beans with a topping of cracked cashew nuts, Penang red curry and coconut milk

This was my friend's entree and she did not like it. I also tasted it and agree with her. There was too much peanut and the sauce was too sweet. The most strange thing was the spinach tempura. It was very thick and dry, thicker and drier than potato crisps. The texture was unpleasant and difficult to chew. 

Pud Thai: Noodles stir fried with prawns, egg, beansprouts and a tamarind sauce

Another friend ordered this Pud Thai. Pud Thai tends to be a safe dish at Thai restaurants. Most of them get it right. This Pud Thai was certainly a good choice. The sweetness was just right and the noodles were not overcooked. The veggies were also pleasantly cooked such that you could feel the texture. The prawns were also juicy and flavourful. Overall, an excellent choice at Sri Thong.

Singapore vegetable noodles: Vermicelli rice noodles wok fried with toasted cumin, broccoli, beansprouts and fresh chilli

Another friend went with vegetarian noodles. It was a good choice for him as he is not adventurous when it comes to different cuisines. He enjoyed these noodles but preferred the veggies to be more cooked. 

Tom Yum Goong: Spicy soup with prawns, kaffir leaves, galangal root and lemon grass

My friend went with this soup and loved it. He thought that the heat of the chilli was well-balanced with the savouriness of the prawns and the stock. I tasted the stock and found it to be rich and full of flavour. 

And finally, on to my entree, I had green curry with chicken and jasmine rice.

Gang Kiew Gai: Chicken simmered in a green curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots and aubergine

Kao Suai: Steamed Thai Jasmine rice

The curry was fragrant with coconut and basil. That was the first thing I noticed about it. It was rich, comforting and creamy. The chicken breast was juicy. The heat was well-balanced. What I loved the most about this dish were the veggies. They were cooked just right, not undercooked or overcooked. I enjoyed their crunchy texture. As for the rice, it was nicely cooked, except that it lacked the fragrance of jasmine though the rice was fragrant on its own.

The service was excellent. Our server was welcoming, attentive and helpful with food recommendations. A gentleman who appeared to be the owner or manager walked us to the door upon our depature. That's a very nice gesture. Overall, I am very pleased with my experience at Sri Thong and do highly recommend it. It's good food, good atmosphere and good service. 

Sri Thong 

1 Widegate St

London E1 7ES

(Near Liverpool Stn)

www.srithong.co.uk

The restaurant also has another branch, called Sri Suwoon near Victoria Stn, see www.srisuwoon.co.uk for details. 

H & H