Super Suda Thai

We're both massive fans of Thai cuisine, so forgive us for a moment if we venture out of South West London and review something a little further afield. My only excuse is that I often walk through St Martin's Courtyard on my lunch break (lots of SW6wers work near Covent Garden/Leicester Square, right?) and had long wanted to check out Suda Thai.

It's a large venue, with a bright, airy, contemporary and fun interior and a very extensive menu, so I had my fingers crossed for something out of the ordinary Thai fare. Starting with the crab and chicken 'firecrackers', I certainly got my wish. This twist on the humble crispy wonton had lots of interesting flavours and was served in an appealing set of preserve jars on a metal rack - I'm a sucker for good presentation. Sarah's starter was an interesting sea bass dish, served on a bed of crispy salad, with clean and fresh flavours.

Washed down with a crisp bottle of Fault Line Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, so far so good with the starters. The next course, however, was slightly a tale of two main courses. I had the Choo Chee Pla (sea bass in a red curry sauce, for those of us who don't speak Thai!), which I really enjoyed. The flavours were at once rich, intense, yet light and fresh - just as great Thai should be. However, the Krapao Gai (chicken with thai basil and spicy chili) was unfortunately a little plain. It is a classic Thai dish and it definitely wasn't bad, but the flavours were much more flat than they are when this dish is served at its best.

Nonetheless, there were plenty of smiles all round when it came to dessert. Both Sarah and I opted for the banana fritters (sometimes an oldie is a goodie) and these were exemplary. A large portion with a crispy batter and just the right amount of honey, and a refreshing dollop of vanilla ice cream, was just the thing to finish off the meal.

Suda Thai is definitely a good option whether you're in that part of town for an evening or theatre, or simply fancy a flavourful lunch out with colleagues. The menu is extensive and I'd definitely recommend opting for one of the more adventurous dishes. The service was really friendly, although quite casual (several different people waited our table throughout the evening), but I thought that lent to the informal and buzzy atmosphere.

SUDA Thai Cafe Restaurant
St Martin's Courtyard
off St Martin's Courtyard
Covent Garden
London WC2E 9AB