Khun Pakin Thai is a scorching example of the Thai-in-pub genre - Review - London - The Infatuation
"There's a longstanding affair between pubs and Thai food. As a result, London has Khun Pakin Thai, a lively kitchen inside The Salutation in Hammersmith that’s producing some invigorating Isan-style dishes. video credit: Jake Missing Humming with families and friends, Khun Pakin Thai has the potential to blow your socks off should you order correctly. When possible, go spicy. Your server will ask what level of spice you prefer (some dishes vary from one to four, others only have two and five, say) and generally, the higher the number, the better. The kung chae nam pla is a brilliant raw prawn salad and the dressing is positively fizzing with heat and acidity. Other things, like the pad kee mao with prawns, are a little one-dimensional in comparison. But ask for the spice level to be ramped up and we have no doubt that would change. Food Rundown E-Sarn Sausage These plump balls of fermented sausage are an excellent drinking snack. Have a bite, throw a peanut in your mouth while you’re at it, and chomp on some fresh ginger afterwards. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Tom Yum Soup With Chicken This bowl of tom yum is pungent with lemongrass and with fat chunks of mushroom and chicken breast. It’s one to clear your airways. photo credit: Jake Missing Kung Chae Nam Pla A terrific plate of fat, buttery raw king prawns are dressed in an electric sauce full of chilli and lime. Every prawn has a slice of raw garlic on top of it. Which is something we really appreciate. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pad Kee Mao These fat noodles are pleasant but disappointingly one-note compared to other dishes. photo credit: Jake Missing Som Tum Thai There’s no doubt that Khun Pakin has all kinds of spicy multitudes. It’s clear on this classic som tum they went easy on us. It’s a refreshing respite, but we’d prefer it to have a sharper kick. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Kapow Mu Sub Kai Dao This one’s hard not to shovel. The rice is fluffy, the crisp fried egg has a perfectly runny yolk, and pork mince and holy basil stir-fry is deliciously salty and spicy. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Jake Missing
