Let the bustle of Portobello Road evaporate behind you as you ascend the stairs into this simple Thai restaurant, so authentic that it truly gives the illusion that somehow in the last twenty steps you’ve travelled to a quiet corner of Thailand itself.

The Venue
On the first floor, above Market Bar, The Market Thai looks out over London’s eclectic Portobello Road. Every Friday and Saturday the road becomes home to one of London’s best loved markets – hence the origin of this traditional Thai restaurant’s name. Ornate wooden arches slice the restaurant down the centre and approximately 17 tables are spaced over the wooden floor boards, each table coupled with two wrought iron chairs with patterned silk seats. The space is light and airy, thanks to the large curtainless windows, and in the corners stand medieval looking candles surrounded by a tutu of melted wax.

The Atmosphere
The clientele here is varied, and includes tourists and locals, couples tucked away in a candled corner, larger, more boisterous parties taking advantage of the honestly priced food and the restaurant’s location on one of West London’s best loved roads. There is a laid back, family-run feel to the restaurant and although rather endearing, this has a negative effect on the quality of service as the waitresses stand and gossip to each other and it is not always easy to get their attention. Yet when food is brought to the table, the waitresses are quiet and polite and the food that they bring is well presented, and enjoyable, especially considering the prices.

The Food
A two course dinner for two with a bottle of house wine to share works out at around £20 a head, and a set menu for two with three courses each costs £29.90. The menu is comprehensive and boasts ‘The best Thai food in town’, a bold statement and not entirely true. Yet the food is good, and amongst all the usual suspects (chicken satay, prawn toast, pad Thai), lie some real treats. For under a fiver there are selections of soups that can be accompanied by prawn, chicken or vegetables. Tom Ka is coconut based, with a tantalizing peppery taste slicing through the creamy soup, thanks to the use of galangal – a member of the ginger family. Like many of the dishes on the menu the soups use kaffir lime leaves, a traditional Thai ingredient, although not great to eat, they provide a wonderfully aromatic smell and intense flavour.

A selection of curries are available, ranging from the delicious and less well known mild coconut based yellow chicken curry (Kaeng Garee Gai) to the Jungle Curry (Kaeng Pa) which is hot and spicy and certainly not for the faint hearted. If you are in the mood for something lighter, there is also a selection of fish, vegetarian dishes and Thai salads. The crispy duck salad incorporates traditional Chinese crispy duck and hoi sin sauce with kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass – although the initial mouthfuls are flavoursome and fresh, you may find that the strong hoi sin sauce gets a bit repetitive, and a loyal lover of the Chinese dish will find themselves missing the presence of pancakes.

The Drink
There are no cocktails here, but wine is available. A bottle of house red or white will only cost £10.95.

The Last Word
The Market Thai offers all that a good restaurant should. Although it doesn’t particularly excel in any area, it is a reliable favourite for those who want a low key, tasty meal in a laid back Thai setting. Definitely one to try!

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