Bangkok, South Kensington

Mr Oil and Mr Vinegar, the good cop and bad cop of dining, are discussing Bangkok in Bute Street, South Kensington

MrO: Did you know, this was the first Thai restaurant in Britain? It predates all those pubs doing Thai pub grub and also predates the fashion for Thai holidays.
MrV: My God but you are a terrible bore. I come out to lunch in the hope of some decent food and interesting conversation and you prattle on about local history, as if I give a hoot.
MrO: That is an appalling way to resume our dialogue after two summer months apart.
MrV: Yes, I thought I’d be happier to get away from my family but I find you as irritatingly unctuous as ever.
MrO: Anyway the food here is very good indeed. I don’t know a less pretentious Thai restaurant anywhere.
MrV: That’s because you’ve never been to Thailand and you really don’t know what you are talking about. However, it is pretty good, I admit. One thing that’s excellent is the beef satay starter. Most Thai restaurants use cheap cuts of beef and then over-cook it.
MrO: The satay sauce is very good too – in most places there’s too little or too much spice in it, and oil running out of the sides, but this stuff is very good.
MrV: I wonder how it manages to stay afloat with hardly anyone coming in at lunchtime.
MrO: But it is jam-packed in the evenings. The locals love it and people are willing to travel some distance – particularly as it is not very expensive.
MrV: I think the price is possibly the most attractive thing about it. It’s about half the cost of that poncey Nahm place in the Halkin Hotel.
MrO: Less than than half. Square Meal says it is nearer one quarter of the price. But Nahm is the only Michelin-0starred Thai restaurant in the UK – probably in the world, come to think of it. And it’s in Belgravia, so the bigger price is understandable.
MrV: You are boring me again. I like the Thai fishcakes best. They are the best I have ever had.
MrO: Crikey. That is praise indeed. They are good and so is that prawn dish – padang or something like that. But in truth it is all good and I particularly love the ice cream.
MrV: Can’t think of anything bad to say about it.
MrO: It is the best ice cream I’ve ever had. I’d love to know where they get it. The mandarin sorbet is the most intensely-flavoured sorbet imaginable and all the ice creams – especially the hazelnut, ginger and coconut varieties – are quite excellent.

Mr Oil and Mr Vinegar spent approximately £100 on two bottles of lager, two bottles of Pinot Grigio, three first courses, three main dishes plus one portion of rice noodles, two portions of ice cream and two cups of coffee.
Bangkok, 9 Bute Street London SW7 3EY Tel: +44 207 584 8529

http://www.bangkokrestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-282.php
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/restaurants/bangkok-info-364.html
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/241.htm
http://www.myvillage.com/chelsea/places/6415-bangkok-restaurant/
http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Restaurant/Bangkok/6f65/
http://www.tipped.co.uk/listings/1287/bangkok
http://www.londonnet.co.uk/listings/restaurants/restaurant-thai/bangkokinsouthkensington/
http://www.qype.co.uk/place/preview/uk-3368334-bangkok-restaurant-london
http://www.fluidfoundation.com/Bangkok_Restaurant_SW7.Bar
http://www.restaurant-guide.com/bangkok-restaurant.htm
http://restaurantsite.co.uk/london/bangkok-restaurant_445.htm
http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/89871/Bangkok
http://www.hardens.com/az/restaurants/london/sw7/bangkok.htm