The eating habits of the UK has dramatically changed over the last decade or so, and the usual favourites of pizza, fish and chips and curry have been usurped by a new Asian invasion led by one of my personal favourites, Thai. The reason for its popularity is that is combines exquisite taste with a degree of healthiness. Balance, detail and variety are of paramount significance for all Thai chefs, and what I love so much about Thai food is that although the dishes appear simple, they are in fact highly complex. This complexity takes the form of at least three, and more likely four or five fundamental taste senses in each dish, and the art is how the sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy flavours are mixed together to create that killer dish. Combined with this taste mixture you also get the other senses stimulated with the texture and colour explosions on the plate.
I always think a testament to a restaurant’s quality is its longevity, and Busaba Eathai opened its first branch in Soho in 1999, and now 18 years on, there are eleven restaurants in and around London, with further restaurants planned.
Busaba is named after a Thai flower, and I won’t insult you by saying what Eathai is a fusion of (think what you do in a Thai restaurant!!), and its philosophy is one I like of a more casual dining venue with a menu devised to feed you with minimal fuss. Eating should be an enjoyable experience, and that should not only include the food but also the de´cor, location and the service, and I can see why Busaba has thrived as I just loved the restaurant in Kingston.
Kingston is on the River Thames, and just a stone’s throw from the main shopping area is a delightful terrace running along the bank which is where you will find Busaba Eathai. Each restaurant contains intrinsic sensory elements which are designed to welcome guests and create a congenial atmosphere in which to eat, so there are tranquil water features with floating candles and gerbera flowers, and the aura senses are also stimulated as lemongrass incense fills the air. The wall to ceiling glass windows at the Kingston restaurant also brings the outside in and inside out, creating a feeling that you are dining on the Thames despite being in the warmth of the main restaurant, and follows the traditional Buddist value of Sookjal, helping you to avoid the chaos of everyday life. Thai cuisine is one of the most popular cuisine’s in the world, and in 2011, seven of Thailand’s popular dishes, more than any other country, appeared on the list of the “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods in a worldwide online poll. They were: Tom Yam Goong, Pad Thai, Som Tam, Massaman Curry, Green Curry, Thai Fried Rice and Moo Nam Tok, and all of these can be found on the menu. On our visit, I initially selected one of Busaba’s signature dishes Thai Calamari, ginger and peppercorn (£7.75), and loved the contrast between the crispy glaze and the slightly chewy squid, all encased with a slight curry heat. My wife chose Chicken Satay with peanut sauce (£6.25), where a slightly crispy exterior encased succulent and moist chicken.
The second course was much harder to choose as the selection is wider, with dishes from the Bangkok Char-Grill including Tamarind Grilled Duck (£15.50) and Green Curried Grilled Chicken (£11.95), which almost tempted us, but my wife chose the Chicken Butternut Squash Stirfry with cashew nuts and dried chilli (£8.95), and I went for another of Bushaba’s favourites, the Massaman Duck Curry (£11.95). The chicken and butternut squash certainly has a kick to it, but this heat complements the fleshy butternut squash and goes perfectly with the cooling coconut rice (£3.50). I loved this slight deviation of a classic massaman curry, with the thick rich sauce, as it didn’t have too much heat, and it had a lovely hint of hoisin which complemented the duck, and this went perfectly with a classic Pad Thai (£9.50), which had just enough sweetness without being sickly.
When looking at the desserts the Asian continent is renown for having very sweet, almost sickly offerings, but here the dishes are sweet but also very tasty. I plumped for the Salted Caramel Chocolate Slice with strawberry coulis (£6.50,) which combined a crunchy chocolate biscuit base with a smooth moreish chocolate ganache. My wife opted for the Banana Fritters (£5.95) where a light crispy batter encased soft fresh banana.
Busaba has continued to keep itself at the forefront of this Thai revolution by providing good food in relaxing environments, and continues to develop dishes which will keep it there for many years to come.
4 Riverside Walk, Kingston Upon Thames, London, KT1 1QN Telephone: 020 8481 6788
Website: www.busaba.com/locations/busaba-kingston-riverside