Restaurants

The name may not just grate; it may also mislead. Because instead of geeks clustered around monitors in a cyber-café, this is the sort of restaurant favoured by older couples who like its spotless napery and hushed yet welcoming atmosphere. There’s an oriental fusion section on the menu, but we suggest skipping this and sticking to the so-called ‘royal Thai’ dishes. In fact, these aren’t courtly dishes at all, they’re just the usual fish cake/tom yum/green curry dishes – but they’re rendered to a high standard. The pad thai, for example, is garnished with a delicate egg lace omelette, like a doily draped over the top; and the titbits and garnishes in this noodle dish were all of top-quality, present, and correct. Mussaman curry ran the full range of flavours we’d hope for in this dish: sour, sweet, salty and hot, underscored by the rich coconut cream and unctuous texture of the braising beef used. With charming service and an intimate, relaxed feel, it’s a very different experience to the conveyor-belt approach of the nearby Busaba Eathai .

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008