Food
Taking Orders: Khao Bird
by Abigail Spooner
Northern Thai BBQ meets sustainably sourced British ingredients at Borough Market’s latest residency. Senior Food Producer Abigail Spooner tucks into the flavour-packed menu.
Where is it?
Upstairs at The Globe Tavern, tucked under the railway arches in the beating heart of London’s Borough Market.
What’s all the fuss about?
Following the success of Lucky Khao restaurant in Brighton, this permanent residency by Mike Palmer is inspired by the bustling open-air night markets of Northern Thailand. Street food-style snacks and a playful twist on authentic Thai dishes feature on the sharing-style menu.
What’s the place like?
A large neon sign casts pink light over the cosy, warmly-lit space with glimpses into the fast-paced kitchen, run by head chef Luke Larsson. The atmosphere is as buzzing as the streets of Chiang Mai – as well as the Thursday night crowds gathering in the pub below. The service is friendly and knowledgeable, with our waitress very happy to guide on spice levels and explain any unfamiliar words.
What did we eat and drink?
We are immediately drawn to the boozy slushies and swiftly order one of each. A lemongrass and lychee margarita is the perfect iced-blend of sweet and sour, while the pina ‘khao’lada is a delicious, Thai basil twist on the pineapple rum classic.
From the street food snacks, we dig into triple cooked chips so crispy, they hold their own under a mound of ultra-tender braised mutton curry. Topped with a dollop of soured cream and a scattering of fried curry leaves, it’s mouth-wateringly good. The white fish pla (a lightly poached white fish salad) is scented with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir with moreish potato crisps for scooping.
Chiang Mai’s most popular dish is khao soi, and here it is recreated with the authenticity. A rich, curried coconut broth coats homemade egg noodles with chunkily sliced bbq chicken on top. It’s comfort in a bowl and a perfect choice for the more chilli-averse. In contrast, the caramelised pork tomahawk from the specials blackboard – a beautifully presented plate of succulent pork comes with a punchy nahm jim dipping sauce. Certainly not for the faint hearted, but we can’t resist dunking into it nonetheless.
Your verdict?
Full of flavour, down to earth, unique dishes to transport you to the energetic city streets of Thailand.
Lasting memory?
The grown-up slushies and next-level loaded fries.
How to book
Visit khaobird.com
