Nestled in the streets of the vibrant King’s Cross, lies the Thai treat of Supawan. Recommended to my dining companion, this cheap eat looked delicious. Was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
Adventurous eaters looking for something different
Those that need heat and spice in their food
Authentic Thai food lovers
Ambience & Décor
The single storey, darkly-painted façade of Supawan is very unassuming but the interior is anything but. An assortment of random cheap trinkets, garish red fittings and random wall hangings was a peculiar décor. The closeness of tables meant cramped dining, which is a bugbear. The buzz tonight did create a very relaxed vibe within the restaurant.
Service
Upon entering, we were courteously shown to our table but were overbearing after that. They hounded us to order and were keen to get us out the door to ensure quick turnover.
Food
Running through the assortment of dishes, aesthetics is not Supawan’s forte. The Laab Aubergine served with roasted rice, tamarind and mint dressing was full of flavour that partially masked my dislike over the slimy texture of the aubergine meat. For £6.50, the portion was generous.
The standout Peek gai yud sai (left) are chicken wings stuffed with minced chicken, prawns, lemon grass and grass noodles served with a sweet chilli sauce. The danger is that whilst the outside can be cooked well, the stuffing can be underdone. Thankfully the light and crispy exterior encased a well cooked interior with fantastic taste and smells. The heat and sweetness from the sauce a good foil.
The Gai yang gorlea (right) was the other standout dish. Grilled turmeric chicken in a sweet and tangy coconut sauce served with a cucumber relish. This was satay texture meeting fiery red-curry type flavour. Not much sweet and tang with the vibrant red foreshadowing the explosion of heat and spice to come. The freshness of the cucumber relish tempered the spice. Great flavours and textures to give a culinary joy.
The Pla Muek yud sai is braised stuffed squid with minced chicken, mushroom, ginger, plum sugar and dark soy sauce. The squid was too rubbery, minced chicken too soggy in the myriad of sauce and the vegetables lacked all flavour. Whilst the sauce was satisfactory, for £11.50, I thought it was not worth it.
The Neua yang (left) was grilled marinated beef, served with grounded rice and mint dressing. This dish was full of spice and heat with the viscous sauce bursting with flavour. The beautiful sauce could not mask the overcooked beef. For the price I wanted more.
Supawan has the look and feel of being an off-the-beaten-track street-café restaurant selling authentic Thai food. Whilst it nails the authenticity, it falls short on value for money for some dishes even though the bill was cheap. The stuffed chicken wings and turmeric chicken were the highlights but the rest lacked the 'wow' factor for the price. Coupled with the polarising décor and inconsistent service, I think a B- rating is befitting of Supawan.
Photos of Supawan and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: B-
Final comment: Authentic Thai food set in a quirky venue that packs a punch.
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