SomSaa - the best Thai food in London 11/10.
Highly recommended personally for anyone on a coeliac / gluten-free diet.
Having grown up in a Thai household and spending many early years there, now living in London I am forever hunting for and let down by promises of Thai cuisine.
Here, in tasting menu we trust. That first, fresh bite to whet the appetite is some work of art. Crisp, light, zingy, spicy, sweet & salty. Gimme gimme more.
From southern style chicken skewers the colonel could only dream of, to classic prawn green curry which actually tastes like guess what? Prawn green curry! No wild western twists, or extra ingredients to make it grammable (though I tried still).
Dessert alternates between turmeric banana and salted caramel ice cream, and my favourite, mango sticky rice or recently, blackbean sticky rice with coconut & caramelised nuts. YES.
The beauty of this place though, a casual sharing vibe to every table. If you aren’t sharing, you aren’t caring. A group of 4 gets two dishes each so you aren’t clambering over one another and the tables, bar and booth all set for the most relaxed of evenings.
Staff are so darn attentive and knowledgable of the menu, ingredients, cooking methods and dietary implications you’re only filled with confidence. We have a coeliac in the group and want assurance in that first response when we mention ‘gluten-free’ and instantly, any concerns eased.
Drinks span from mocktails, cocktails, beers (incl. low alcohol) & wines. Of course, my choice was a Singha beer for good measure but we’ve also tried the cocktails which compliment Thai ingredients and are great if not punchy when your tongue is sizzling from that one too brave spoonful of chilli!
Don’t go to Rosa’s, don’t visit Busaba and definitely do not visit the recently hyped up by a Times writer Plaza Khao Gaeng in central London which is the worst of all. The Times should be embarrassed of themselves but let’s see how they review upcoming Speedboat in central, another from those behind aforementioned PKG.
We’ll be visiting Speedboat for sure!
Watch this space.
Meanwhile, please enjoy a great experience at SomSaa. We’ll be returning as often as we can!