Restaurant Review: Plaza Khao Gaeng, Central London
This is serious, no-frills Southern Thai food, which is unapologetically authentic, fiery and flavourful.
When I think about Thai restaurants in this country, I’m generally reminded of elaborate indoor water features, gigantic Buddha statues and a broad range of dishes that have evolved to cater for our Great British obsession with all things beige. This includes some of the nation’s all-time favourite ‘picky bits’ such as sweaty triangles of sesame prawn toast, sticky chicken skewers swimming in peanut sauce and deep-fried fish cakes you could bounce off a wall.
Not here though, not at Plaza Khao Gaeng – which is the newest addition to the JKS restaurant group and the latest landmark of new-wave Thai food in the UK. Punters are asked to leave their Western sensibilities at the door and embrace an authentic and seriously spicy experience in brightly lit surroundings complete with cheap vinyl tablecloths and a slatted wooden interior.
Strip lights and shiny tablecloths
Plaza Khao Gaeng is modelled on the type of Southern Thai canteen that chef Lukie Farrell has spent the last 15 years frequenting so that he can reimagine the magic of this very exciting cuisine. Having set up his own tropical growing operation in Dorset several years earlier (Ryewater Nurseries), the Plaza is now the perfect opportunity for Farrell to showcase his inventory of exotic ingredients which are famous for championing the true flavours of Thailand.
We opt for the ‘Deep South’ set menu which is a very reasonable £35 per person. As I nervously observe a number of sweaty white people dotted around the room, my tastebuds anticipate the starter in the oral equivalent of a brace position. First up is a brow-moistening Miang Phuket: a street-side snacky type mix of cashews, coconut and palm sugar, wrapped up in green peppery leaves called ‘bai cha pluu’. The heat is immediately intense, searing through your senses until it rapidly subsides into a sweet-chilli crackle with wafts of fragrant lemongrass.
Miang Phuket: a fiery mix of cashews, coconut, chills and palm sugar
Layers of flavour then start to arrive at our table which we waste no time in ladling over small and sticky heaps of jasmine rice. In quick succession, we are served:
Gaeng Massamn Neua: A melt-in-your mouth beef massaman curry which basically whispers sweet nothings in your ear with the warmth of all-spice and cardamon. It is thick and rich with fresh coconut milk and large lumps of soft, buttery potatoes.
Beef Shoulder Massaman Curry
Gung Pad Sator Prik Gaeng Tai: Plump tiger prawns butterflied in their shell, stir-fried with a fiery fermented shrimp paste and studded with slices of nutty green sator beans (otherwise known as stinky beans!)
Gaeng Som Talay: Juicy mussels and slow-cooked pieces of squid swimming in an orange soup which is spicy, salty and sour. Unashamedly fishy with a citrusy, refreshing edge.
Pak Bung Fai Daeng: A generous mound of morning glory which celebrates the essence of unami with a terribly satisfying crunch.
Khai Dow: Two crispy fried eggs with wafer-thin edges and a runny yolk the colour of a Koh Samui sunset. Just in case you hadn’t had enough heat, the eggs are served with a chopped chilli dressing.
Prawn Curry, Sour Orange Soup with Mussels and Squid, Morning Glory and Crispy Fried Eggs
The journey is messy, exhilarating and incendiary from start to finish. Delight in the deliciousness and quell the spice by ordering a bucket of ice-cold Singha beer from a sympathetic member of staff, £22.50 for five bottles.
Plaza Khao Gaeng is situated in the Centre Point building at New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB. Visit the website for more details: https://plazakhaogaeng.com/.
