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An unremarkable looking Thai restaurant in Earl’s Court, the thing that gives Addie’s away is that it’s packed. It has been for more than three decades, and in a city full of faded foodie icons, what is remarkable is that eating here is as good as it ever was. You will know this instinctually as soon as the (free) prawn crackers arrive on your table. They’re the caramel-coloured, grainy kind – not the crappy foamy white kind. You can always tell a good Thai restaurant by the quality of its crackers.
Inside, it’s painted an unfashionable shade of dark red, with tables tucked into cosy nooks along the wall. The menu is intimidatingly vast, but when ordering, this is the kind of establishment where it pays to have a roving eye. A quick spy at the tables in your vicinity should help you decide: everyone gets the papaya salad. This dish, with thin ribbons of pale papaya, carrot and beans sprinkled with peanuts and served in a nice deep bowl, was fresh and frighteningly spicy. (A general warning: dishes here are not designed to suit the Western palate). The pad thai, usually a dull choice, was also superb: served with a traditional latticed pancake of egg on top, the noodles beneath were luscious and slippery, spliced with beansprouts and fat, sweet prawns. The only minor disappointment was a plate of overly greasy vegetable spring rolls.
Other than that, the food was practically perfect. It’s also cheap, which makes Addie’s an increasingly rare breed in West London. If you live in the area, make this your local. If not – this is a restaurant that is actually worth travelling to Earl’s Court for.