The original Plaza Khao Gaeng surprised everyone with its monumental greatness. A restaurant slipped into a food hall mezzanine isn’t supposed to be one of the best in London, and yet the bijoux, southern Thai-inspired canteen blew minds and mouths with its relentless approach to flavour and fun when it opened in 2022. Run by a Brit, Plaza held up its hands when it came to its inauthenticity, but made up for it with the dedication that chef-founder Luke Farrell poured into the place. A couple of months after it launched, spin-off restaurant Speedboat Bar arrived, a day-glo, stand-alone tribute to Bangkok’s Chinatown in London’s Chinatown.
It’s a shouty, cocky spot that demands your attention
Now, like Speedboat Bar, Plaza has a space to call its very own, rather than what felt like digs in a culinary halls of residence. Plaza Khao Gaeng 2:0 can be found in the ever-expanding Borough Yards development by London Bridge, where so many esteemed London restaurants have launched culinary siblings. You’ll find it next to a baby Barrafina, Akoko offshoot Akara, and Cafe François, a mini manifestation of Maison François in Mayfair.
At 78 covers, it’s at least twice the size of the original Plaza, and makes the most of a spacious railway arch. There are two dining areas, both rowdy and roomy, with a pleasing soundbed of clattering cutlery alongside what looks like a Wild West vaudeville stage in the cosier back room and buzzing strip lights which reflect the full-on, nowhere-to-hide flavour of the food.
Menu favourites from the first location remain. Creamy massaman curry with huge hunks of tender beef shoulder and silky spuds is present and correct, as is the khua kling muu, punchy dry-fried pork with chillies, and gai tord hat yai, perfect fried chicken, crunchy on the outside and with juicy, steaming meat in the middle.
But there are also plenty of dishes unique to Plaza 2:0. A sexy strawberry dish might look like it was made merely for Instagram clout, but is actually the hardest fruit salad in south London; juicy berries mingling with green mango plus a boat-load of tiny, shiny fishes. We’re gutted to find that the whole crispy sea bass with green peppercorns isn’t available tonight, but the gaeng som pla is, a sour orange curry with fillets of flaky bass resting in a deeply spoonable and puckeringly potent sauce that might just be capable of curing all winter ills. There’s a saucy little prawn number too, a gung pad prik gaeng sator of red curry and coconut cream. Like most things on the menu here, it’s spicier than a Gaspar Noé movie, but that’s why you’re here, right?
Plaza Khao Gaeng is not a discreet ‘hidden gem’; it’s a shouty, cocky spot that demands your attention. Such boldness deserves to be honoured.
The vibe A busting canteen-style spot by London’s biggest food market.
The food Big Thai flavours, super spice levels and lots of fishy dishes.
The drink Frosty glasses of Singha (also available in beer tower format), as well as spiced-up classic cocktails with a Thai twist.
Time Out tip It’s £37 a head for the ‘Deep South’ sharing menu of Plaza’s greatest hits, including fried chicken, sour orange curry, beef massaman and strawberry salad.