Neil Littman samples word-of-mouth sensation Val’s Thai at The Hop Poles in Baker Street

Thai restaurants were possibly the first ‘pop ups’ long before trendy areas such as Hackney and Hoxton cottoned on to the idea.

As far as I know, it all started in the 1980s in the Shepherd’s Bush area, after one of the greasy spoon ‘caffs’ put out red-check tablecloths and candles as soon as the sun went down to announce the arrival of a Thai menu.

That tradition still exists in places such as Marie’s Café in Waterloo, which has been there since 1988. More recently, another marriage of food and drink sprang up in pubs where east and south-east Asian cooking became a significant and shared tradition. The Churchill Arms in Kensington is widely considered to be the first pub in London with a Thai kitchen, thanks to their chef, who just happened to be a customer of the pub and asked if they would try Thai food. Over time customers stopped ordering from the traditional English menu and just ordered Thai instead.

Fast forward and only a week after playing with my band at The Hop Poles I was back again – this time ordering food in the dining area which hosts Val’s Thai. Val greets customers in person, though she apologised that evening to say they were a bit short-staffed so spent most of her time in the kitchen sending out generous platefuls of home-cooked Thai food made with love and dedication. It explains the loyal following that this place has deservedly earned.

Armed with a pint of John Smith’s from the pub bar, once seated I was given a laminated menu with photos divided into chef’s specials, small plates (which were anything but small!), mains and curries, stir-fried dishes and sides and snacks. However, if you order online, they have ‘specials’ listed that don’t appear on the main menu such as deep-fried prawns in crispy coconut batter and pumpkin curry.

With a soundtrack of Arctic Monkeys and RnB in the background, complimentary prawn crackers appeared, fish-flavoured and crunchy with a spicy aftertaste. Then, a plateful of fishcakes (six in total), with a hot dipping sauce. This is a far cry from the sweet orange gloop that often turns up elsewhere, and there is also a welcome absence of garnishes such as carrots sculpted in the shape of animals!

My main dish was king prawn green curry with crunchy broccoli and carrots in a soupy broth of coconut milk, plus a side order of sticky jasmine rice. As they were generous portions, I ended up taking enough for another meal home.

Returning for a second visit a week later with a friend, it gave us an opportunity to try a wider selection of the menu and find out the reason why there are so few Thai restaurants in Enfield and other parts of London. The answer came from Val herself, who said that there is a shortage of Thai chefs and the skills in producing the subtle flavours and spicing that distinguish this cuisine and the effort and training that goes into this should not be underestimated.

The evidence of this was on our plates, in the shape of luxury prawn toast (whole prawns encased in a light batter), pumpkin curry, sweet and sour chicken and king prawn, plus a very spicy Penang curry accompanied by bowls of jasmine and egg fried rice.

Another plus point worth noting is the effort to promote themselves with special offers and discounts. The cost is between £20 and £30 per person, including a pint and service. There is a good selection of vegetarian dishes and takeaway and delivery options are available. Booking is advisable for weekends.

Val’s Thai can be found at The Hop Poles Pub, 320 Baker Street, Enfield. It is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5pm-9.30pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 5pm-10pm, and Sundays from 5pm-9.30pm.
Call 07932 563 626
Visit order.storekit.com

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