Som Tam House

Shuffling in from a harsh autumn evening we recently found ourselves warmed as much by Som Tam’s charm as its central heating, staff chatting away cheerfully as they seated us amid the Thai curios and house plants that clutter this small, informal eatery. A platter of mixed starters got us off on the right foot, eschewing the rubbery imitations favoured by many competitors in favour of crisp spring rolls packed with vegetables and some sweetly pungent satay skewers. Mains are also a cut above the normal traffic-light Thai curries: penang beef curry had a dry heat tempered by an expert use of basil and lime, while the yellow chicken curry was wonderfully aromatic and packed with tender meat. A deserved local favourite.