Wow. When we bought Groupon vouchers for Esarn Kheaw we were just expecting some nice, cheap Thai food – nothing exceptional and nothing inoffensive. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised. The vouchers were £15 for £30 value to share between two people, so we bought a couple thinking that we’d go twice. I can safely say that we will be going back far more than this.
The restaurant may not be much to look at, and it’s not in the most convenient part of town, but it’s a small, authentic, family-run place – and most importantly the food is great.
We got there at 7.30pm on a Friday night and it was reassuringly busy. We were quickly seated. Now would probably be an appropriate time to point out that the staff were fantastic – helpful, efficient, and dispensing just the right amount of friendly banter.
We ordered a bottle of wine (it was something like £15 – quite possibly less – so why not?) and set about looking at the menu. It was big. There were so many choices that I felt a bit overwhelmed. It was a good thing.
As usual, we shared our starters. Our first dish was deep fried king prawns and vegetables – 4 huge prawns and lots of veg, coated in a batter so light and crunchy that it almost made me forget about the recent tempura unpleasantness that I endured at Satori Robata.
We also had steamed pork and prawn dumplings, a personal favourite of mine. I always order them given the opportunity and like to try my hand at making them myself from time-to-time. These were particularly good; so tender, so moist, and absolutely massive.
The starters were so good that I could have quite easily eaten more, more, MORE… endless rounds of starter dishes all night long, mains be damned. It’s safe to say that I really liked the starters.
But the starters had to end some time, and then the mains came.
I went for roasted duck cooked in coconut milk and red curry paste with grapes and pineapple. I wouldn’t normally go for something so fruit-heavy but it sounded interesting and it really was.
Nuhar went for charcoal grilled sirloin strips of beef with lemon juice, lime leaf, onion, coriander, chilli and fish sauce. Also very tasty.
We shared a bowl of rice and it was more than enough (literally, we had to leave some – impressive, considering the amount of sauce there was to mop up).
Including the bottle of wine, using our voucher the bill came to something silly like £6 including service. This felt almost wrong somehow; how can we be paying so little for what we had, especially when we’ve had an entire bottle of wine too? We insisted on paying an even £10.
We still have one more voucher and I for one can’t wait to use it. Will we use it exclusively on starters? I think it’s a possibility. (In case you missed it, I really liked the starters.)
Nine seems like quite a high score – but considering how well we were treated, how much we enjoyed the food, and how little we paid for it, I don’t see how I could possibly give this place any less.
Rating: 9/10
You FOOLS, you went and didn’t have the dish-you-have-to-have there.
I lived on the road next to the restaurant for a while and have eaten there dozens of times. While all of it is good, the stand out are the dishes marked ‘North East Style’ – is is ‘Esearn’ food from near the border with Laos. I generally had the pork north east style I think. It is between a salad and a stir fry, meat in a thin brown highly spiced sauce that is hot and in an odd but shockingly compelling way, almost gritty like earth – i think from the quantity of spices. I’ve introduced many people to it and I would estimate it has roughly the addictive properties of crack, which you could probably also buy on a nearby street. You eat it with sticky rice.
I think the papaya salad is also a traditional accompaniment but theres is a little hit or miss. Also, I am surprised you didn’t mention the staff. The place has the grumpiest owner I’ve ever seen. He bustles around glaring at people and throwing food onto the table. It always contrasts with his extremely pleasant and capable sons who are often working there. I’ve nothing against the dad really though, the food is great and he brings character to the place.
@ora: Thanks for the tip! We’ve been perhaps 5 or 6 times since writing this review (we really do love this place) and whilst we *always* go for same the starters mentioned in this review it’s because they’re so freaking amazing – reason enough to go for them alone, even.
As for mains, we generally choose seemingly at random from the huge menu. Personally I love the duck and grape curry, although any form of their red curry is fantastic – their green curry is the hottest I’ve ever had, and a bit too much even for me.
I can guarantee you that we’ll be trying one of your recommendations the next time that we go, which will be soon (as you may have guessed, we can’t get enough) – so thanks again for the tip! I’ll probably go for the pork North-East style, ‘cos I loves me some pork. Even better if it’s pork-crack.
And yes, you *always* pay the extra for sticky rice. £1 well spent!
As for the staff, well, I don’t have any problem with them really. Far from it! I feel that the old guy (who I presume is the owner) is just a bit of an eccentric who adds a bit of character character. I can understand how some people may not like his style that much but I’m happy to have my order taken, my plates taken away and to be left alone to enjoy my delicious food.
His son on the other hand (the one who looks quite a bit like Gok Wan – sorry, but it had to be said) seems to be at the other end of the spectrum. Friendly, familiar (even it it’s your first time meeting him), and does a great job.
I’m rambling a bit, but I’ve got nothing but nice things to say about this place
– which is nice, because I can be a bit of a bitch sometimes (sorry about that!)