It’s been years since I returned to eat at Addie’s Thai (I remember it as Addie’s Thai Cafe and I only just noticed the dropping of the Cafe when I looked up its website) in Earl’s Court. I used to live in the area (getting quite a few takeaways from Addie’s) and every time I go back, I’m always surprised to see all the changes in the are, especially regarding new cafes and restaurants. Blai and I found ourselves meeting there one evening and visited the restaurant again for old times sake.
That Wednesday night, the place was packed and we only just managed to get a table for two without a booking. It’s clear that the restaurant remains popular. To start, we got a couple of drinks – both variants based on Thai tea, one with lemon and the other with milk. Both lovely.
Blai had to have his favourite Pad Thai (£6.95, with pork) which was beautifully presented under a lacy omelette veil. It was very good and had well-balanced flavours though the pork we ordered it with was a bit tough.
I didn’t feel like having dishes with rice so I ordered another one dish meal, the Pineapple Fried Rice (£6.95, with chicken). The rice had been fried with a red curry paste and chunks of chicken and fresh pineapple. It was very moreish; I love spicy curried fried rice.
After seeing the Curry Soft Shell Crab (£12.95) on The Skinny Bib, I knew I had to try it! A couple of battered and deep-fried soft shell crabs sat on a pile of stir fried peppers and onions bound together with yellow curried soft scrambled eggs. The curried egg base was savoury and luscious but unfortunately, the crab was flavourless, making it, well, a very expensive egg dish.
I couldn’t stop there – I needed a vegetable too and so ordered the Morning Glory Stir Fry (£5.95). This was probably the best dish on the table as it was stir fried perfectly and tasted gorgeous with a lovely light smoky wok flavour. Whoever’s on the wok in the kitchen can definitely stir fry very well.
We somehow still found space for dessert and so split a Pandan pancake with custard filling (£3.50). Unfortunately, this wasn’t very good as it had a strange grainy texture and though sweet, it left an unpleasantly bitter aftertaste.
Overall, it was great to see that Addie’s is still a good Thai restaurant after all these years. A couple of things may not have worked at our dinner and sure, dessert definitely needs improving, but there was certainly promise there. It’s certainly one to check out if you’re in the area.
Addie’s Thai
121 Earls Court Road
London SW5 9RL
Sun, 10 Jul, 2011 at 22:40
This looks like a place to try, thanks! I have had so many bad Pad Thais recently that I would be really very happy to finally be reminded of why I like this dish.
Mon, 11 Jul, 2011 at 07:30
When did they drop the Cafe ? I cannot even remember when I last when to Addie’s. It must have been at least 5 years ago. Wow time is flying too quickly.
But good to see it is still producing good Thai food…… Gonna have to make a re-visit soon and catch up on some good old memories.
Mon, 11 Jul, 2011 at 08:15
I still can’t believe I’ve not been here. It’s been on my ‘list’ since before I started blogging, but for one reason or another I’ve yet to pop in. Anyway, I do like the look of the pad Thai with its lacy omelette veil! But a shame about the crab…
Mon, 11 Jul, 2011 at 10:41
I went there quite a while back, and although I haven’t tried enough Thai restaurants in London to know if there are any better, I liked what I had there. Haven’t made a repeat visit though, as it’s kinda far from where we live, but if you’re there again, check out Star Kebab’s on the same street (across from Addie’s). It’s like a takeaway, but the curries are very nice and the portions pleasing too!
Mon, 11 Jul, 2011 at 11:14
A mixed review there. But I would go if I was in the Earl Court area seeking a meal… The tea and the pad Thai looks good though.
Tue, 12 Jul, 2011 at 20:35
The Thai restaurants in the states generally do not do anything like what you pictured – the omelette veil, the curried egg, even the simplicity and freshness morning glory – none of those elements have ever graced the menu of Thai restaurants that I have visited. In the US Thai restaurants are like ethnic fast food – relatively cheap, extremely predictable, and not very healthy. Our Thai restaurants serve the same things from one to the next: Pad Thai, Pad See Ew (the spelling varies, the dish does not), Pad Kra Pow, various other noodle dishes, a bunch more dishes served with rice on the side, four curries (red, green, yellow, masaman).
One of my colleagues [Krishnendu Ray] is writing a book about why it is that Thai and Indian restaurants in the states all serve the exact same food, most of it bearing only a scant resemblance to the food that a person might be served if they went to a restaurant in Thailand and India. He is trying to figure out how new immigrants learn what they are supposed to serve, since it appears that all of the restauranteurs got a list of the same dishes. For instance, even a seemingly simple variation like serving Thai Iced tea with condensed milk or lemon does not make it onto the menu. Thai Iced tea here only comes with sweetened condensed milk and the ‘thai tea’ is made from a powdered mix, I think, so that it literally tastes *exactly the same* from one restaurant to the next. It is a relief to see that this homogenization of Thai cuisine is not as much of a problem in the UK as it is in the US.
Wed, 13 Jul, 2011 at 17:13
That sounds really interesting Laura! I have an American friend who always insists that we go for Thai when she visits my house because “It’s exactly like Thai food in Seattle”. But the 3 Thai restaurants in our neighbourhood all serve different things.
Wed, 13 Jul, 2011 at 12:00
wonderful post everything looks so yummy! especially the morning glory i remember school trips to changmai…great post as usual top blog x
Wed, 13 Jul, 2011 at 17:10
I love it when you get pad thai in an eggnet. Pity your meal was not all it could have been!
Fri, 15 Jul, 2011 at 12:49
Ute: I know…soggy or overly sweet pad thais are not nice at all.
Mzungu: Not sure…it was at least 5 years for me too!
Mr Noodles: The area perhaps? It’s not often I find myself in Earl’s Court.
monchichi: I never ever tried Star Kebab but the next time I’m in the area and craving a curry, I’ll definitely consider it!
Robert: Yes, it’s still good in the Earl’s Court area!
Laura: Thanks for commenting! I know what you mean about Thai
food in North America. I grew up in Canada and definitely found Thai
food to be more diverse and generally superior in quality to that in
Vancouver. As well, I’ve noticed that the food from the north of
Thailand rarely makes an appearance on the other side of the pond.
Strange that.
Campari: School trips to Chiang Mai! How wonderful!
Alicia: Yes, a bit of a shame.