New Culture Revolution - Kings Road, London

I like New Culture because they offer reasonably priced food amidst a myriad of highly expensive restaurants. They call themselves a dumpling and noodle bar but they also serve most of the things you'd expect to find in a Chinese restaurant.

At lunch you can choose from their lesser expensive and smaller portioned menu. As expected at dinner the menu is more extensive and more expensive.

We went on a busy Tuesday night and had the Chilli Squid starter (£5.95) followed by the Beef in Black Bean (£8.90) and the Braised Beef Claypot (£8.90). The Squid was delicious, very spicy and sweet. The Beef in Black Bean was tender and sharp but to be honest I've had better at my local takeaway. The Braised Beef comes served in a Claypot with Mooli and other seasonal vegetables. The meat was tender but the broth it came in was slightly under seasoned and watery.

All in all New Culture Revolution is a good restaurant. My husband swears by it. I however think that it's nothing special, that is to say it's average food in a pleasant setting, and nothing more.

New Culture Revolution
7/10
350 Kings Road
London, SW3 5EP
0207 352 9281
www.newculturerevolution.co.uk

Thai River aka Garden and Grill - Portobello Road, London

Portobello Road is a bustling street filled with numerous food stalls, shops and restaurants. When I go I usually grab something from the stalls as the variety is huge and the food is inventive and well made.

This place however caught my attention because it looked nice from the outside. It's on the top floor of a building, slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the street, which means you can grab a bit of respite if the crowds are getting to you. But be aware that the entrance is quite inconspicuous so you may have to work on finding the way in.

Between us we had the Som Tam (a salad made with shredded vegetables, papaya, garlic and chillies £6.50) the Gai Sa Moon Prai Krob (crispy chicken with fried basil £9.95) the Pad Gaprao (a stir fry made with the meat of your choosing and tossed with chillies, lime leaves and basil £6.50 to £8.50) and lastly the Massaman Curry (£6.95). All were perfectly acceptable. The salad was a good marriage of sweet, sour and spicy. The crispy chicken was a little bland so I adapted it with soy sauce and chilli oil. The fried basil was good enough, but more of a garnish than a substancial part of the meal. The curry was very average. I've had Massamam curries in many different places and this was no better than any other.

With that said the food here is well made. It's not going to win a Michelin star anytime soon but when Thai food is done right it can be very good indeed, and from what I've had they do seem to do it right. My only main issue with Thai River is that it is overpriced and unless you have a voucher I wouldn't suggest going. I do hate it when restaurants up their prices because of their location.

Thai River Garden and Grill
6/10
253A Portobello Road
London W11 1LR
0207 313 6511
www.thairiver.co.uk

Wok to Walk - Worldwide

The concept of Wok to Walk is one that I really like. Effectively there are three easy steps that stand between you and your meal. First you choose you base (Rice, Noodles or Vegetables), then your favourite ingredients (Shrimp, Tofu, Chicken etc) and finally the sauce you'd like it smothered in (Curry, Peanut etc). Each ingredient is priced accordingly so if you're on a budget you can design it so it's cheaper. You can also opt for the more healthy options such as wholewheat noodles or rice, or low-carb veggie dishes.

The one we went to in Leidsestraat 96 in Amsterdam was bustling but luckily the turnover was fast so we didn't have to wait too long. We picked our selection, placed our order and stood back to watch the 3 women cook it up in their big violently hot woks. These women cooked with such speed and precision. For an avid cook like myself it really was pretty inspiring.

The food was served in Chinese takeaway boxes and the seating was very canteen-esque. Just grab a seat, chow down and get out basically. No frills here. I didn't mind that though and I appreciated that they had Soy Sauce and Chilli already waiting on the table.  

My Chicken with Rice and Black Bean sauce was good. Exactly as you'd expect it to be and a good hearty portion for £7. My husband had the Noodles with Beef and Vegetables in Peanut sauce for around £9. We were both happy with our choices and left full and ready to continue on discovering Amsterdam.

Wok to Walk

8/10 for what it is

Worldwide, check out their site to see if there's one near you.

www.woktowalk.com

Bangkok Bay - Battersea, London

Bangkok Bay is an unassuming little Thai restaurant on Battersea Park Road. We went for dinner around 7pm on a Saturday night. The place was empty when we arrived but took no time at all to fill up.

The menu was hilarious. 5 laminated pages complete with grainy photographs of each dish. I have no idea why restaurants think this is a good idea. It cheapens the entire experience and the pictures never do the food justice.

The decor was equally hilarious. We had canvases of horses on our left and a Thai mural of sorts on our right. It was confused to say the least.

My friend and I shared the Vegetable Spring Rolls which consisted of 6 small pieces (£3.95). They were ok, perfectly decent. My other friend had the Papaya Salad (£5.75) which was delicious. A lovely mix of green papaya, chilli, garlic and beans in a Thai sauce. She was best pleased.

I followed with the Panang Curry with Tofu (a steal at £6) but rice needed to be ordered separately. It was thick and creamy but a little sweet for my palate so I requested lots of chilli and soy sauce. Once I adapted it I liked it a lot more. My friends had the Pad Thai with Tofu (£6) and the Pad Khing with Tofu (£6). The Pad Khing comprised of ginger, onion, mushrooms, carrots and pepper in a gravy that was very reminiscent of black bean sauce. Chicken in Black Bean is my go to dish when ordering Chinese food so I liked it, she however found it a little salty. The Pad Thai was just as it should be, not amazing but not bad either.

All in all the food was acceptable but the decor and ambience left a little to be desired. We spent a total of £49.10 for the meal which isn't bad for starters, mains and drinks for 3 people.

I asked my friends what rating they would give the experience and they gave a resounding 6.5. I'm in agreement because it was good but not great.

Bangkok Bay
6.5
246 Battersea Park Road
London SW11 3BP
0207 223 5924
www.bangkokbay.co.uk


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