The top line: Brighton-based restaurateur Mike Palmer has made his casual Thai format Khao Bird a permanent fixture with a new site on Soho’s Brewer Street. A spin-off from his Brighton restaurant Lucky Khao, Khao Bird first launched as a 12-month residency above The Globe Tavern at Borough Market. Palmer is also behind popular Brighton brands Redroaster and Lucky Beach. Lucky Khao, which launched in 2018 within Redroaster’s St James’s Street site, is currently closed but is expected to reopen early next year once the team have got Soho bedded in.
On the menu: Created by chef Luke Larsson, Khao Bird’s menu is largely inspired by the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, with a few western influences — not least a standout dish of chips topped with Burmese mutton curry and sour cream. Other small plates include beef and Campari larb; pomelo and prawn salad; and Shan BBQ meatballs inspired by Ikea, wrapped in caul fat and glazed with cola. Larger dishes include herbal squash curry; the famed Chiang Mai noodle soup khao soi; and hung-ley, a sweet and tangy pork curry with a strong Burmese influence. Drinks are well considered, with a wine list penned by drinks consultant Zeren Wilson and the kitchen team taking the lead on cocktails. Options include Chiang Mai Milk Punch and an impressively inexpensive tipple called I Am Broke (£7.90), made with vodka sourced from Lidl.
The vibe: Taking over a site that was until recently one of the last remaining Chilangos, Khao Bird Soho has 30 seats and an open kitchen upstairs, with a further 48 covers downstairs. The space has an industrial look, with a blue-and-steel colour palette referencing Chiang Mai’s traffic signage. Palmer has also brought his distinctive pink neon sign from The Globe Tavern residency.
And another thing: Unusually for a small restaurant group, Khao Bird is a B Corp, with the brand focusing on seasonal produce from Sussex farms.
24 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SN