Khao Bird

London’s Hottest New Thai Restaurant

Tell me. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be invited to Bridget Jones’ flat for dinner? Oh I have, so many times. I just relate to her you know. I digress. There’s a new Thai restaurant in town. What is the connection you ask? Well, Khao Bird is situated in Bridget’s actual flat!

Nestled above The Globe Pub – a great pub by the way – in Borough Market, you will find this subtle, intimate and simply decorated restaurant. The two focal points are the roaring open kitchen and a neon sign on the wall – reminiscent of the streets of Bangkok.

Khao Bird uses produce with a particular focus on Sussex,  working with suppliers including Knepp Estate, a 3,500-acre rewilding project, vegetables and herbs from cultivators Shrub- as well as Bermondsey focused businesses such as Kernel Beer, Ice Cream Union and Bermondsey St Honey.

The inspiration itself is Northern Thai BBQ. Ask any of my friends and they will say I have a bit of a disdain for Thai food in London – I just haven’t yet found a restaurant that sings the way the authentic street vendors do in Thailand itself. But alas, I think all of these years of soul searching has finally resulted in a pot of gold at the end of the culinary rainbow. That pot of gold is Khao Bird.

On the menu there are dishes of white corn ribs from Sussex with laab sauce and coconut relish, lively plates of Sussex Veg Som Tam with Bermondsey Street honey, takes like the Northerners Hot Dog (sai-ua)–Chiang Mai style herb pork sausage with pickles, phrik num jam on a milk roll with spicy jaew relish for dipping.Larger plates of Pork Hung Ley, a Burmese curry with slow roasted Sussex pork, peanuts, broth, wild ginger and pickled garlic and Chiang Mai BBQ Sussex chicken with lemongrass, white pepper, coriander root cooked slow over charcoal with broth, tamarind sauce and roasted chilli jaew relish.

For me all of the dishes were rich in authentic Thai flavours, sweet, silky and herby tastes, cut through with the distinctive tang and saltiness of fish sauce and other umami-style ingredients.

I loved each and every dish, but my favourite was the Pork Hung Ley which was absolutely spectacular. There was also a special on of whole sea bass which was so fragrant, as soon as anyone in the restaurant ordered it, it would set off a symphony of mouth-watering-ness – if that is even a word. One thing we didn’t order was the triple fried dirty chips w burmese smoked mutton curry – a now TikTok sensation we will need to go back for!

There is just one dessert on the menu, the Doughnut Bao. This is a deep fried bao bun, sandwiching Bermondsey ice cream – the latter you can pick between cinnamon or coconut chocolate chip. This is also sensational and very photogenic as a dish.

Thai-inspired cocktails are always the absolute best, you just can’t beat the refreshing fruity flavours cutting through the delicate and sometimes intense spice. I really enjoyed the Calamnsi Martini which had just the right bitterness. There are also a range of boozy slushies and the Lemongrass & Lychee is not to be missed.

I genuinely haven’t had a better Thai dinner outside of actual Thailand and take it from me, that is high praise as the food in Thailand is second to none. A huge well done to Head Chef Luke Larsson who is doing some sensational things in the kitchen.

This is a place you can nestle in for hours, but a table here is red hot, so once your time is up in the warm buzz, head downstairs to The Globe and sip on cheap pinot for a few more hours, truly channelling your inner (or out and proud) Bridget Jones.

Find out more > www.khaobird.com