The Market Thai

At street level, only a garish-looking menu & some subtle gold lettering give any hint that there’s a creditable Thai restaurant above this Irish boozer on the corner of Portobello Road. Accessed via its own entrance on Lancaster Road, the high-ceilinged dining room is charmingly decorated with ornately carved archways, mirrors & comfier-than-they-look wrought iron chairs. The kitchen takes care when it comes to ingredients, so the fiery ‘weeping tiger’ is made with char-grilled, marinated sirloin steak & the aromatic fishcakes contain tasty flakes of fillet rather than the pulverised paste of inferior versions. A great-value set lunch menu at £5.95 includes top-10 Thai favourites such as green curry or drunken noodles. There’s a short wine list, but most get their liquid refreshment from Thai beers or refreshing lemongrass tea.