There seems to be a real renaissance of Thai food in London at the moment. There are people, like the guys at Som Saa who I just did my 'David Thompson brings Nahm to London' pop-up with, who are doing some very interesting things. They're breaking away from the mould of the traditional Thai restaurant and offering food that has a different character to what is usually known.
I've been living in Bangkok for 17 years. You could talk about the venerable heritage, the sophisticated techniques, the extraordinary way with ingredients, but the real reason people like Thai food – the reason I like Thai food – is because it tastes so bloody good. There's an excitement, a tension and there's a pungency of the palate that Thai food has that makes it truly and utterly addictive. At my restaurant Nahm in Bangkok, we have quite an extensive menu. We have a large staff so we are able to provide food with some degree of authenticity, which can appeal to everyone from the most intrepid of diners – with some sort of outlandishly spicy, unusually seasoned vegetables – to a dish that would satisfy the most timid and uncertain of Thai food novices. It has that repertoire, it's not just about pungency and spice, although that plays an important role, there's often some very gentle dishes with great subtlety and elegance too. Thai people have an incredible knack of cooking food and cooking it well because they know the essence of good Thai food is balance: where there's a balance of tastes and textures and seasonings that result in a harmonious well-rounded taste. It's not just about one dish that knocks you for six; it's about a balance of taste that becomes something that is well crafted.
My favourite Thai dish is usually the last thing I had in my mouth. Sometimes I want to eat something gentle and agreeable, sometimes something pungent and sometimes something sweet. I'm quite classic with my tastes and boorish in my demeanor. I try to ignore what the customer wants, or rather, ignore conventional wisdom. I don't try to tailor to a local market; I try to reflect my understanding of a cuisine from a country that I love. I've been cursed with a mind that likes to study and to read and so it makes sense to me to investigate things. Discovering the history of cooking this type of food reflects two aspects of my character; a little bit of studiousness and a little bit of a larrikin.
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The Thai culture is one that is sold on its stomach. Street food is a big part of that culture and it's evolving. The street is where Thai people like to eat and so consequently what they like to eat is varied. I've seen burgers and pizzas being cooked on the street – not necessarily done as well as the Thai food on offer, but nevertheless the streets are the theatre of dining. If I'm eating on the streets, it's usually noodles for me – stir-fried noodles or noodle soup – I love my noodles.
Long Chim, my restaurant in Singapore and Australia, means 'come and taste' and celebrates street food. I'd certainly consider bringing Long Chim to London –who doesn't want to be in London at some stage? I've noticed that despite a difficult few weeks, the people of London are still out and having a good time –it's a cool place to eat. Whenever I'm overseas I rarely eat Thai food, I don't want a busman's holiday; I go out and eat local food – it adds heart to a place.
DAVID THOMPSON is an Australian chef who has spent 25 years researching and cooking Thai food. His former London restaurant Nahm was the first Thai restaurant in Europe to be awarded a Michelin-star when it opened. He now runs Nahm in Bangkok and has a street-food focused restaurant, Long Chim, with sites in Singapore, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne. He has also written two books, Thai Food (£30, Pavillion) and Thai Street Food (£25, Octopus).
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