Smoking Goat

Trendy Thai pub

pork belly and water melon salad

Smoking Goat is a smoking hot restaurant on the edge of Soho serving Thai cooking in a pub setting. Lately the place has become somewhat a super trendy place and it is extremely hard to get a table unless you arrive really early thanks to the no booking policy. The spicy and refreshing elements of the Thai cuisine are actually a great combination with beer so I can see why this place is so popular right now. I managed to secure a table on an early Monday evening which was quickly getting jam-packed not long afterwards.

coal roast scallops

For one of the starters, we had a rather odd dish in the pork belly with watermelon salad. the pork belly itself was finely seasoned, but intensive spices and herbs of the salad took over the water melon, reducing it to nothing but just an extra bit of watery texture. The main of lamb ribs were sensational on the other hand, the sweet and spicy notes had a perfect balance and the meat itself was really tender and blessed with real rich robust smoky tastes. Slow roast duck legs was another winner, the lemongrass and kaffir's citrus element delivered a beautiful fresh and powerful aroma which enhanced the mild spicy flavour of the galangal marinate of the duck.

smoked lamb ribs, chilli and plum sugar

slow roast duck legs, lemongrass and kaffir

The food at Smoking Goat was better than I would have expected, I was fearing it was nothing but another Thai restaurant with a trendy concept and a heavily westernised twist to its cooking. But actually, it managed to retain the root and essence of Thai cuisine with some very powerful and rich flavours that delighted my taste buds with a great selection of ales which worked so well with the dishes. If getting a table isn't such an issue, I can see myself going back often.

Food 3/5

Head chef: 
Seb Holme

What I paid: 
£28 per head with a beer

Average cost without drinks and services:
£21


7 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LZ