Restaurants

River views and shy waiting staff give Kwan Thai a certain charm, though the pastel decor peppered with Thai art is rather characterless. City types, tourists and passing trade make up the clientele; this is no destination restaurant, but the food is sound and location near London Bridge useful. Fried wun tuns toong tong (‘golden bags’ in Thai) were well-balanced: the soft filling of minced chicken and prawn encased by crunchy pastry. Tom yam goong was murky and would have benefited from more than just a smattering of button mushrooms and prawns, though the fragrant lemongrass broth was satisfying. Gaeng pet yang, a creamy red curry redolent of lychee, cut through the succulent duck, and was enhanced by sharp pea aubergines. A typical som tam (papaya salad) had the right tangy dressing and chilli kick, while the stir-fry pad graprow provided a luscious covering for prawns with its heady garlic-packed sweet soy sauce. Choose from sorbets, fruit in syrup, banana fritters and crêpes stuffed with pandan leaves for dessert (though we found the latter overly processed).

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009