Tawana

Watch the world march by from the large front window of this pleasant, friendly restaurant in Westbourne Grove. Plants, carved wood and bamboo chairs lend a light, bright feeling to the somewhat scruffy dining room. Tawana has a loyal Thai following, which bodes well for the food. A pork broth soup with pieces of tofu and minced pork meatballs was a tasty and simple affair - the sort of homely thing you'd like your mother to make if you were ill. However, not everything here is as comforting. A fish curry was disappointing: the fish ('sole', said the server) was so heavily battered and fried that it was robbed of any flavour; the dish arrived drowning in a spicy red-curry sauce filled with pea aubergines, red peppers, coconut shoots (tasting like a softer version of bamboo shoots), basil and fresh peppercorns. The waste of the fine fish left us wishing we'd chosen one of the meat-free options from the extensive vegetarian menu. Still, Tawana hits the right notes more often than not, and the welcoming service and authentic ingredients will keep us coming back.