Last Thursday, we were invited for lunch at Farang, a long-established heavyweight of London's Thai food scene. We met with head chef and owner Sebby Holmes, who is passionate about bringing Thai dishes to London - literally.
Farang is a short walk from Highbury and Islington, Arsenal and Finsbury Park tube stations, and is a much shorter walk than it would be to Heathrow to catch a flight to Bangkok. Push through the dark exterior and heavy doors to discover a bright, airy space packed with foliage and (during the current heatwave) drenched in sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
As recommended by our waiter, we ordered the vegetarian feasting menu. Soon, plates piled high with vegetables, herbs and whole roots were arriving thick and fast. We started with a miang bite, which consisted of a single mouthful of nutty brittle and a plump strawberry wrapped in a betel leaf, which you had to pinch between your fingers to eat. Happily, this playful tone was threaded throughout the rest of our meal as many times we were prompted to ask, 'Are we supposed to eat that bit?'. Whole coriander roots, lemongrass stalks and enormous thumbs of ginger not only flavoured the dish but were left to swim in the deep bowls, providing a visual delight as well as a sensory one.
We tried a vast array of dips, bites, curries and salads and were surprised and delighted by all that we tasted. Precise herb use and well-curated bites defined this meal but it never lost its lighthearted and relaxed energy. Our most memorable dishes were the feather-light aubergine fingers with oily, fragrant dips, the tofu salad, featuring pillowy fried tofu and sweet, crunchy pomegranate seeds, and the coconut vegetable curry, which included a theatrical fried blooming onion.
From our experience, it seems that the feasting menu is certainly the way to go on your first or tenth visit to Farang. The jovial leader of this temple-to-Thai, Sebby, came over and told the story of how he'd started the place, the early recognition he'd won and his plans for the future which include the development of Payst, his fresh Thai curry pastes, available for purchase in a growing number of retailers.
Farang is a great choice for Thai-food lovers and those seeking an adventurous lunch or dinner in a relaxed environment. If you pop in soon, drop a review to let us know what you think!