It’s difficult to find reasonably priced Thai food in London that’s guaranteed to be good, but that’s where Busaba Eathai comes in. Ideal if you like to try lots of dishes, Busaba Eathai is perfect for a quick dinner on the go with a group of friends willing to share.

I arrived at Busaba Eathai Covent Garden on a Thursday night to find a huge queue snaking around the corner, which I generally take as a good sign (in a restaurant that takes reservations – yes they do still exist!) Loud and lively, the clientele consisted of young groups of friends and business types grabbing a quick bite to eat before hitting the pubs and bars nearby, already teeming with people at 7pm.

Our group ordered a healthy serving of varied dishes covering meat, seafood and vegetarian options (all in the name of research, of course!) and each was better than the last. We opted for Fried Chicken, a delectable serving of meat with lemongrass, chilli sauce, shallots and daikon, as well as Rib-eye Beef,  Aromatic Butternut Pumpkin Curry and Chinese Broccoli.

Next up was Pat King Talay, a generous helping of  prawn, squid, scallop, Thai pepper, woodear, chilli and ginger – a must-try for seafood enthusiasts. We couldn’t visit a Thai restaurant without ordering noodles, so Pad Thai was chosen for its crowd-pleasing qualities and I’m pleased to report it did not disappoint. Layers of prawn, dried shrimp and tofu bulked out the dish while traditional egg, peanut, beansprout and lime flavours created a fantastic version of one of  London’s most popular Thai dishes.

The standout plate had to be the Chargrilled Duck, dressed with Chinese Broccoli and Tamarind sauce. Soft, succulent and utterly tasty, we were tempted to order a second helping. Sadly, we probably could have been tempted to had the level of noise not been so great that we decided to leave earlier than planned. Though a buzzing atmosphere is obviously preferable in a dining venue you know it’s too loud when you’re writing messages on your phone to a friend three seats along!

Apart from this unfortunate fact, I can’t find fault with Busaba Eathai. Large portion sizes guaranteed good value for money while speedy service and tasty dishes make this the perfect place to line your stomach before a night out. Not the ideal setting for a catch up, but the sheer number of venues mean it couldn’t be more convenient to try out this tasty Thai – with restaurants in Covent Garden. Old Street, Stratford Westfield and Shepherd’s Bush to name a few, there’s bound to be one near you.

Amy @ FashionBite xx