@Siam in the Heart of Soho

Although the name offered visions of ranks of internet terminals and people beavering away on World of Warcraft in between gulps of green curry, @Siam turned out to be an excellent moderately priced Thai option in the heart of Soho.

Ducking out of a dreary evening, @Siam presented itself to us in purple and black, with hardly any attempt to invoke south-east Asian clichés like bamboo chairs and reed mats. Instead, it’s a crisp, busy space which looks out onto Frith Street, with plenty of room and plenty to choose from on an unorthodox menu, which covers pretty much all of the regions of Thailand.

Its website describes it as ‘comtemporary Thai’ – forgiving the spelling mistake, it’s an accurate description. This is not a veneer of modernity though, but the bringing together of different foodways from the regions of Thailand in an unpretentious setting. Of course, there are green and red curries here, but the usual fare of Pad Thai or Massaman is eclipsed by a variety of different approaches to Thai food. And they score well for both diversity and execution, with no real misfires along the way.

To begin with, we opted for Kor Moo Yang – a northern Thai dish made from grilled marinated pork with spicy tamarind, which subtly blended a barbeque-style flavour with tamarind and coriander sauce. Along with that we went for the Tod Man Pla, Thai fishcakes which came as elastic little medallions, accompanied by a sharply spiced sweet chilli sauce.

For the mains, we delved straight for the chef’s specials section, where the ‘Weeping Tiger’ could hardly be avoided. So named due to the fabled ability of its sauce to reduce a tiger to tears, it came as a rare beef steak with Thai sauce – minimal but gratefully received, although no tears were induced by the sauce. For my part, the steamed seabass cooked in lemon was a delight. Topped by lemon and infused with it as well, the moderate spiciness complemented the fish and tartness perfectly.

Dessert was mainly themed around sorbets and ices. We went for the water chestnuts and ice cream, and a lime and lemongrass sorbet, both executed well. In the case of the water chestnuts, although the dish appeared akin to a deconstructed trifle, it certainly worked.

All of this was accompanied by a solid 2010 Michel Torino Malbec, and the wine list was comprehensive. The staff are attentive and busy, and the buzz of the restaurant grew as we ate, while never becoming overpowering. @Siam is small, but not cramped, generating atmosphere without the need raise your voice.

Prices are moderate, with the seabass main coming in at around £15 and starters somewhat under £10. At prices like that, it’s well worth a visit, and more so due to the choice of regional dishes on display. The chefs are from north and north east Thailand, but have a repertoire stretching to southern and central Thai dishes, meaning that @Siam can offer a great deal more than standard Thai eateries.

@Siam
48 Frith Street
Soho
W1D 4SF

Tel: 0207 494 4511