Som Saa named after a rare Thai fruit started life as a pop-up restaurant at Climpsons Arch in Hackney. After successfully raising £700,000 in a crowdfunding campaign in just three days, it was able to move to its permanent residency at larger premises in Spitalfields, just a two minute walk from Aldgate East underground. Now set in an old fabric warehouse, the moodily lit restaurant and bar has been designed by Coriander buildings featuring an industrial décor with exposed brick walls, chunky rustic wood tables, and intimate booths. A large sharing table is situated near the open kitchen window, and vintage decorations sourced from Thailand add authenticity to this Thai restaurant.

The highly competent team behind the venue is chef Andy Oliver who worked under the critically acclaimed David Thompson at Nahm, as well as sharpening his knives at Bangkok's highly rated Bo.Lan Restaurant in Bangkok. Joining him in the kitchen is Australian born chef Mark Dobbie who appeared in the 2009 Masterchef series, together with Tom George a former Manager at Goodman in Mayfair, who is in charge of front-of-house.

Som Saa's exquisite Thai food using both carefully sourced seasonal British produce and Asian ingredients is wowing both critics and diners across the board. The recommendation is that you choose between four to five dishes across the sections to achieve the correct balance of flavours and textures. So typically you might start with grilled pork with a shrimp paste spiked dipping sauce before choosing from the wok a whole deep fried seabass with roasted rice powder and isaan herbs. Elsewhere there's yum gung king orn, a salad of grilled prawns, long kong and young ginger and from the curry section neua parlow, five spice soy braised beef cheek with chilli vinegar sauce. To close the show dessert wise there's kluey yaang 'ice cream', nahm dan beep salted palm sugar ice cream with turmeric grilled banana or kanom mor gaeng fuk thong, duck egg and pumpkin custard with poached jackfruit and crispy shallots.

Wines have been carefully chosen to complement the flavours of the food, and Som Saa also serves craft beers and cocktails such as Dragons Milk made with sticky rice rum and condensed milk.

Som Saa is also featured in: Michelin Guide

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Thai

Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie

Lunch: 12.00 - 2.30pm Tue-Fri (12.00 - 3.00pm Sat)
Dinner: 6.00 - 10.30pm Mon-Sat (10.00pm Mon)

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• Disabled access
• Private parties
• 80 covers

Nearest tube station: Aldgate East