My love for Thai food doesn't stop at eating at one of London's many fabulous Thai restaurants or dining on street-food once a year in Bangkok - nope, I also cook the stuff myself... papaya salads, yellow rice chicken, tom yum soup... I just whipped up a seafood red curry for breakfast FFS.
So I'm blessed in Hammersmith to be just down the road from Thai Smile. This is London's best Thai market by quite a way, selling all the Thai food you need and some Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian stuff as well. It has also in the past had a spin-out magazine, web portal and restaurant - the great family who run it try their hand at anything and now it's basically the community hub for Thais in London.
So alongside the best range of Thai herbs, vegetables, sauces, noodles, snacks and sacks of jasmine rice Thai smile also sells Thai/English dictionaries, stocks Thai wine and whiskys, sells Thai chocolate bars, recipe books, magazines, even Thai computer keyboards. And if like my wife you're one of the thousands of Thai women new to England you can pick up a free 'Tips for living in England' pack for Thais.
We've all tried our hands at some Thai cooking at some point in time - look how often someone tries it on BBC for example - well, Thai Smile should be on your radar for your next attempt. Kaffir limes, galangal, fermented fish sauce and salted crabs - all present, correct and gorgeous.
PS. This is in HAMMERSMITH not Covent Garden. Stupid Yelp Map read more