Thai Lemongrass

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Thai Lemongrass exudes an almost spa-like calm. Ceiling fans rotate hypnotically, ushering a cool breeze along cushioned booths; meditative lights shine through intricate wood carvings. Staff are genteel, making you feel pampered as they explain the menu. The food is accomplished. Fish-cakes are dappled with lemon-grass and are bouncy in texture. Spring rolls are smoky, non-greasy and tightly packed with finely shredded chicken and vegetables. The popular coconut-based curries are available, but arguably more rewarding is a less familiar version of the red-paste curry, which is more indicative of northern Thailand where coconut palms don’t grow in abundance. This is a clear curry that includes ample pork and vegetables, plus bittersweet baby aubergines and tiny bunches of fresh green peppercorns. The piquancy of chillis, galangal and kaffir lime leafs is noticeably more intense without the addition of coconut milk. Meanwhile, wok-fried dishes such as chicken with basil and ginger might suit palates that prefer Chinese flavours. For dessert, pandanas leafs are boiled in coconut milk and palm sugar to release a nutty scent; the liquid is then chilled and served with bananas and crushed ice.

• High point: Pandanas dessert
• Low point: Grizzly pork