At any moment, anywhere in London, you might turn a corner to find an oasis glowing shyly amid the desert of glass, stone and steel. One of these verdant surprises exists in Southwark on Joan Street, which runs parallel to The Cut at Waterloo. This little patch of paradise is home to a deli, a shop, a couple of bar/restaurants, and Thai Silk.

The Venue
Ah, summer. As the evenings draw out and the weather — we hope — gets more balmy, what better place to dine than outside Thai Silk? Food always tastes better outdoors and here you could imagine you are in Thailand itself. Well, at a stretch… Which means, of course, that Thai Silk is a popular venue. You can reserve an outside table, which provides ample opportunity for people-watching.

The Atmosphere
There is an interesting mix here — young and hip; young and, well, not quite so hip; overspill from neighbouring bars, tourists, and, reassuringly, a healthy Asian contingent. If you are eating specific cuisine, the fact that the country’s expats choose the restaurant is a vote of confidence. If you are eating inside, the noise levels — particularly later in the evening — can rise a touch above the acceptable, but by that time you probably won’t care much anyway.

The Food
The menu explains clearly what everything is but, for the uninitiated, it’s probably safer to go for the selection of mixed starters, plenty of different nibbles with a choice of interesting dips. Chicken wings, part of the mixed starter, come stuffed with minced chicken and prawns, tasty and succulent and delightfully easy to eat. Prawn tempura is excellent — big, juicy prawns in a crisp batter, although heavier than traditional tempura.

The set meals are also good for novices, particularly for large parties because you get a bit of everything. There are two options of set meal, one for £16.95 per person, the other for £19.95. Both come with a choice of rice — fragrant with just the right amount of stickiness — or noodles, which have a nice degree of “bite”. Both are ideal for soaking up the sauce; no Thai padding here!

If you’re feeling more adventurous, the menu explains the base of all dishes and you can choose whether to add chicken, pork, prawns, duck or vegetables and bean curd. Puddings include apple or banana fritter, or a selection of sorbets and ice creams.

The Drink
Thai Silk is cocktail heaven — indeed, the choice is somewhat boggling, although helpfully divided into long, short, shooters and Champagne-based. A Mai Tai — once all umbrellas, fruit and random vegetation had been negotiated — is well made, the rum discernible beneath the fruit. A Tokyo Iced Tea (well, you have to try new things) is an ethnic slant on the more common Long Island version — the melon liqueur Midori replacing the Cointreau and lemonade the cola. Turning one’s (slightly blurred) attention to the wine list, there is again an abundant selection. This time, it is set out by style — crisp, fruity; aromatic, fresh; fuller, rounded — with country of origin and in ascending order of price. Whites begin at a very reasonable £10.95, as do the reds — easy drinking, fruity; bolder, richer.

The Last Word
An oasis in a mad world, Thai Silk is perfect for romantic summer dinners or raucous group get-togethers. The fact that you can book a table and pre-order online also makes it handy for theatre-goers — the Old and New Vics are just around the corner.

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