Kaosarn has been best known to me as the small authentic Thai on the rather weather exposed corner of Brixton market. Due to its size, one of the only restaurants where booking is necessary. When I heard of the new Kaosarn located on increasingly trendy St John’s Hill, based almost exactly opposite the progressively fashionable Powder Keg Diplomacy, itself harking more of Shoreditch than Wandsworth, I wondered what mix they might have struck. Would they have formed a contemporary setting in congruence with their closest neighbours, or would they maintain their distinct café feel. I had heard on the grapevine that the dishes were the same – but the menu had expanded considerably due to their transition to gas cookers from Brixton’s electric hobs. My discovery was the restaurant stood far removed from the authenticity of the original enterprising outfit with its inherent rudimentary charm. But not in a bad way – the setting was refreshingly open, clear and clean. Whitewashed contemporary vertical bamboo styled strips panelled the walls, whilst the restaurant itself comprised solid rustic oak tables with white washed scrubbed legs and large round hanging pendant lights. A calm environment, and contrary to expectations the staff were nothing but pleasant and helpful. We ordered two starters to share – the soft shelled crab and the Som Turn Thai salad. The soft shelled crab essentially was tasty, homed in a light but aerated batter. The quantity of crab though was trifling, and the batter as a consequence overwhelmed the dish leading myself and partner to conclude the dish had been ‘Brit-ified’. Good soft shelled crab is hard to find – it being far too easy to cover it in batter and thus hide the sweet meat you are actually after. The salad was a combination of shredded papaya, lime juice, finely crushed roasted peanuts, ground dried shrimps, fresh chilli, tomatoes, green beans and a vinaigrette so tangy – sweet and sour in cooperation – it awakened every single one of your taste buds. Freshly squeezed lime abounding, complemented by an effortlessly balanced undertone of nam pla. First you take the hit of lime rounded by the sweet and then the sour of the nam pla followed by full lip burning heat. Pretty goddam perfect in terms of balance between flavour and heat - not a morsel was left on the plate.
For mains we ordered a beef Thai green curry and a slow cooked pork dish comprising pork in a Chinese 5 spice with shiitake mushrooms, fragrant rice and a chilli sauce. As an avid pork fan – I love the stuff, I embrace the fat. Pork belly (cooked well) any day. But this pork was one step too far. In my humble opinion, when you order pork and the fat to meat ratio exceeds 60:40 then it can be deemed excessive, and this pork coming in at 80:20 certainly pushed my porky sensibilities. I don’t want a piece of jelly to chew on – I want some meat. Pulling jellied pieces of fat out of each mouthful doesn’t form an enjoyable experience. I know that that is just the style of cooking but it's not for me. The sauce though was a rich reduction that retained its opaque gleam of Chinese 5 spice, meat juices and vegetable liqour. Aniseed notes emerged just a little too prominently out of the essential 5 spices for my liking, for once you had taken a mouthful it transformed into the overwhelming feature and sadly the flavour assumed that ability that aniseed has to remain fixed in your taste buds for some short time to come. My idea of the place for aniseed falls within the realm of subtlety. It is the all too common mistake that can really cross the lines of acceptability for those like myself, particularly prevalent in new wave trendy BBQ restaurants, cough Pitt Cue Co, that can really spoil a meal. If however you love aniseed in this more hard-hitting fashion, then this dish is probably for you.
The green curry contrastingly was probably the best I have ever had. The beef was soft, though could have benefited from the blessing of size - larger slow cooked chunks of braising beef might just have been perfect. The sauce was delicately flavoured with an abundance of lemongrass, an undertone of chilli whilst being creamy though not too rich. A triumph, in simple terms.
Despite the obvious let downs, I have to say I just loved this restaurant. I don’t doubt that if I go back the story will be one of success. It is a refreshing change to be in a spacious and airy setting, an all-round pleasurable experience since when you couple that space with the expertly constructed flavours that Kaosarn deliver, you’re left in an ideal mid-week dining situation. Affordable food accompanied by BYOB means this restaurant is a genuine success. Which is why you will see the place packed out each evening and why you need to book for a table. It’s a veritable haven for girly catch up mid-week dinners. Like.
For mains we ordered a beef Thai green curry and a slow cooked pork dish comprising pork in a Chinese 5 spice with shiitake mushrooms, fragrant rice and a chilli sauce. As an avid pork fan – I love the stuff, I embrace the fat. Pork belly (cooked well) any day. But this pork was one step too far. In my humble opinion, when you order pork and the fat to meat ratio exceeds 60:40 then it can be deemed excessive, and this pork coming in at 80:20 certainly pushed my porky sensibilities. I don’t want a piece of jelly to chew on – I want some meat. Pulling jellied pieces of fat out of each mouthful doesn’t form an enjoyable experience. I know that that is just the style of cooking but it's not for me. The sauce though was a rich reduction that retained its opaque gleam of Chinese 5 spice, meat juices and vegetable liqour. Aniseed notes emerged just a little too prominently out of the essential 5 spices for my liking, for once you had taken a mouthful it transformed into the overwhelming feature and sadly the flavour assumed that ability that aniseed has to remain fixed in your taste buds for some short time to come. My idea of the place for aniseed falls within the realm of subtlety. It is the all too common mistake that can really cross the lines of acceptability for those like myself, particularly prevalent in new wave trendy BBQ restaurants, cough Pitt Cue Co, that can really spoil a meal. If however you love aniseed in this more hard-hitting fashion, then this dish is probably for you.
The green curry contrastingly was probably the best I have ever had. The beef was soft, though could have benefited from the blessing of size - larger slow cooked chunks of braising beef might just have been perfect. The sauce was delicately flavoured with an abundance of lemongrass, an undertone of chilli whilst being creamy though not too rich. A triumph, in simple terms.
Despite the obvious let downs, I have to say I just loved this restaurant. I don’t doubt that if I go back the story will be one of success. It is a refreshing change to be in a spacious and airy setting, an all-round pleasurable experience since when you couple that space with the expertly constructed flavours that Kaosarn deliver, you’re left in an ideal mid-week dining situation. Affordable food accompanied by BYOB means this restaurant is a genuine success. Which is why you will see the place packed out each evening and why you need to book for a table. It’s a veritable haven for girly catch up mid-week dinners. Like.
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