As we have established, I love Asian food. Be it Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Korean I am deeply in love with the Far East’s cuisine. Thus, when I was invited to visit Patara Thai’s new location on Berners Street I really couldn’t wait.
My last visit to Patara was almost two years ago where I celebrated their New Year’s menu. To celebrate the launch of their fifth location on Berners Street the chefs at Patara have created 20 new dishes that are not available at any other Patara location. Highlights include a wagyu beef salad, choc muang (dumplings filled with caramelised chicken, turnips and coconut cream) and gai gor lae (chicken supreme in Thai curry sauce). The above said, the vegetarian options available at Patara are also fabulous. There are a variety of curries including fruit, tofu and vegetable-based curries that work perfectly with rice or other vegetables. The cocktail menu available at Patara is also really quite delicious with a mix of fruity, coconut-y and sour options to suit your palette or choice of dish.
Where
Patara, Berners Street
When
Monday, from 6:30 pm
What We Ate
Starters: Fried Spring Rolls with Chilli Sauce, Goong Sarong (Prawns in Filo Pastry)
Mains: Tofu and Fruit Kaeng Ped Curry with Sticky Rice, Chicken Kieaw Wan with Jasmine Rice
Sides: Tenderstem Broccoli with Mushrooms and Garlic, Bok Choy with Shitake Mushrooms
Dessert: Chocolate Baked Pudding with Mango Ice Cream
Highlights
My starter course of spring rolls, though basic, was very tasty. The rolls were very crisp and not at all greasy with plenty of different textures which made a fresh update to the classic spring roll. The side of sweet chilli sauce was also tasty with plenty of sourness.
My guest’s starter was really intricate and beautifully made with wrapped filo pastry. The pretty salad was fresh which worked well against the sweet and crispy prawns.
The texture of my fruit and tofu curry was wonderfully smooth and creamy. The crunch of the almost raw fruit brought added texture against the super soft tofu which had soaked up all the mild sauce. On the menu, the dish is described as 'medium spiced' but I found it quite mild with lots of sour notes. I found the pineapple my favourite fruit against the curry sauce.
My guests dish of chicken curry had plenty of chicken pieces in a rich, smooth curry sauce. The yellow curry was definitely medium spiced but bearable, with hints of sweetness from the meat.
The broccoli and bok choi were both well cooked and the addition of mushrooms and garlic gave an earthier flavour which was nice. The bok choi was a little hard to cut as we didn't have knives! So we just ate the pieces whole.
Our dessert was outstandingly tasty, but honestly anything with chocolate and mango is going to make me happy. The part-baked cake could have done with an extra 30 seconds in the oven but the texture comparison of the soft outer sponge and melting inner was really lovely.
LowlightsI requested sticky rice alongside my curry. I love sticky rice cooked in lotus leaves; the texture is quite unique and really easy to pick up with chopsticks. Sadly the sticky rice I was presented with at our meal was dry, crispy in places and clearly well over cooked. There was no stickiness in the sense that I was expecting more that I couldn't separate large chunks of rice from the bowl. This was a true shame.
Overall
Had the rice not been such a disappointment then I would rate this meal quite highly. The service throughout was attentive and considerate of my dietary requirements. The cocktails we kicked off with were really delicious although I think I would save the coconut concoction for a desert drink rather than my first drink of the night. The curries and starters were nice although I would have loved a few more nut-free veggie options. Overall I would recommend Patara for an informal dinner with friends and I would recommend a weekend visit.
Thank you, Patara for hosting me and my guest.
Tweet to @elliemathews1
The texture of my fruit and tofu curry was wonderfully smooth and creamy. The crunch of the almost raw fruit brought added texture against the super soft tofu which had soaked up all the mild sauce. On the menu, the dish is described as 'medium spiced' but I found it quite mild with lots of sour notes. I found the pineapple my favourite fruit against the curry sauce.
My guests dish of chicken curry had plenty of chicken pieces in a rich, smooth curry sauce. The yellow curry was definitely medium spiced but bearable, with hints of sweetness from the meat.
The broccoli and bok choi were both well cooked and the addition of mushrooms and garlic gave an earthier flavour which was nice. The bok choi was a little hard to cut as we didn't have knives! So we just ate the pieces whole.
Our dessert was outstandingly tasty, but honestly anything with chocolate and mango is going to make me happy. The part-baked cake could have done with an extra 30 seconds in the oven but the texture comparison of the soft outer sponge and melting inner was really lovely.
LowlightsI requested sticky rice alongside my curry. I love sticky rice cooked in lotus leaves; the texture is quite unique and really easy to pick up with chopsticks. Sadly the sticky rice I was presented with at our meal was dry, crispy in places and clearly well over cooked. There was no stickiness in the sense that I was expecting more that I couldn't separate large chunks of rice from the bowl. This was a true shame.
Overall
Had the rice not been such a disappointment then I would rate this meal quite highly. The service throughout was attentive and considerate of my dietary requirements. The cocktails we kicked off with were really delicious although I think I would save the coconut concoction for a desert drink rather than my first drink of the night. The curries and starters were nice although I would have loved a few more nut-free veggie options. Overall I would recommend Patara for an informal dinner with friends and I would recommend a weekend visit.
Thank you, Patara for hosting me and my guest.
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