Sizzling southeast Asian cuisine in the suburbs.

The Venue
A mere five minutes walk from Cockfosters tube station stands the proud pile of the Cock and Dragon, incongruous among the streets of semi-detached houses with neat gardens that surround it. It’s large, brightly lit and there’s a spacious car park at the front. Enter, and you find yourself in a typical English pub; head for the rear and you are in southeast Asia.

The Atmosphere
The Cock and Dragon has lots of pleasant Oriental touches, from the statues of Buddha to the red curtains, the origami napkins and the bamboo menus. It’s quiet (no music) and the clientele are mostly couples, not surprisingly - it’s a reliable place to bring someone on a date or for a special occasion.

The Food
Mostly Thai, though with a few imports such as tempura and dim sum. Starters include fragrant Thai soups and crunchy salads. Recommended is the Royal Platter, a selection of chicken satay, spare ribs, spring rolls, Thai fish cakes and mini dim sum for two people. Everything on it is delicious and clean-flavoured, especially the ribs, which are so succulent the flesh falls from the bone. Starter portions are small, serving more to stimulate the appetite than fill you up, and you won’t complain about that when you see the size of the main dishes.

Try the sizzling Weeping Tiger beef at just under £12.00, which comes to the table hissing loudly in an iron skillet - the beef is tender and the hot and sour chilli dipping sauce gives it a real kick. Also recommended is the Sambal Udang, tiger prawns in a dark, rich sweet and sour sauce with its own subtle heat. Pad Thai Goong noodles make an excellent accompaniment, served with the unusual combination of egg, turnip and prawns, garnished with ground peanuts (don’t come here if you’ve got a nut allergy, by the way). The dessert menu is not very extensive, and options include lavender ice cream, which is a little sickly for most palates, and pandan-flavoured pancakes filled with coconut and palm sugar which are a bit on the stodgy side. But a nice touch is the chilled bowls in which the desserts are presented.

The Drink
As you’d expect from a pub, there is plenty of choice. The wine list features no fewer than 41 wines, starting at around £13.00 and going all the way up to a Dom Perignon at just under £100.00. You can also order liqueur coffee, which may be a better bet than dessert.

Last Word
A first-class local Thai restaurant. Bring your date, your wallet and your appetite.

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