Suda

Thai
Covent Garden

Suda can be found tucked away in a neat little courtyard within Covent Garden; a new development with some popular shops where you’ll find Suda right at the back. We arrived for an early dinner, which in the heart of theatre land is possibly one of the few places in London where you are not guaranteed to be awkwardly dining in an empty restaurant, and so the restaurant already had a few tables seated who were tucking into their meals.

This restaurant is minimalist and airy but somehow manages to provide a cosy feel. We sat downstairs but there is also a second level with more tables where you can also watch the chefs at work. The menu is vast and takes up both sides of a large sheet. Normally we’re not partial to photos of food on menu’s (it’s all a bit Costa del Sol), however Suda uses images of only a select few dishes and it is done rather tastefully.

To start, we ordered the Thai style calamari with sweet chill sauce which was light and crispy and very good. The vegetable spring rolls were also a good choice, but the clear winner was a special created for Suda’s oyster festival: 4 rock oysters with lemongrass, crispy shallots and a traditional Thai vinaigrette. The lemon grass with the oysters really proved to be an excellent combination and the dish felt very unique. We would definitely go back for more.

Mains also did not disappoint. The chicken massaman curry was very flavoursome and peanuty, and the jasmine rice cooked was perfectly. The beef pan griddled in panang curry sauce was tasty but the beef was perhaps slightly over-cooked, however it provided a nice main to pair with some steamed brown rice.

With just enough room to digest a couple of desserts, we selected banana fritters and an unusual offering of sticky rice roll with a bitter chocolate filling. We were undecided about the latter (rice overload!) but the banana fritters went down very well. Little fried chunks of batter were also added to the dish, which we felt was a little unnecessary, particularly for those of us trying to watch our weight.

The main thing preventing Suda from full marks however, was the service. Although each of the three waitresses were extremely polite, the restaurant lacked attentiveness. Plates were not cleared away quickly enough and our main order and then dessert order took a while to be taken. Nonetheless, this criticism is not a big enough reason not to visit Suda where you can be sure to enjoy a reasonable authentic Thai meal in a central location.

23 Slingsby Place, St Martins Courtyard, WC2E 9AB

Average price for main meal: £10.50
Average price for a glass of wine: £3.75
Food/Drink: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Value: 4/5 

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