Patara: Soho, Thursday May 9th, 2013

Anybody who has been reading these pages for some time now will know my feelings on Thai food have changed a lot in the last few years. Once I felt it was a sort of fad which meant Asian food I liked was getting unfairly overlooked. More recently, I have come around to the fact that it can actually deliver on the sort of flavours and sensations I really enjoy in Asian foods. Of course, there's the natural level of spice which doesn't agree with me and the frequent use of ingredients I can't stand, but I have discovered there's plenty out there I can get on board with.

Last May a former colleague of mine was visiting London with his family, so a meal out was suggested, as tends to be my way. The wife and I met the family of four in Covent Garden and took a walk down to Soho in search of somewhere suitable. We decided Thai food was a viable option so went for a table for six at Patara, a chain which has several branches across the world, with a strong presence in London.

The atmosphere within the restaurant is quite a pleasant, refined one. It is quiet - possibly a little too quiet if the meal was for just the two of us - which made it a well-judged choice for the two children at the table. What I found slightly off-putting was the way it occasionally, in terms of service and menu, veered into the realms of that slightly tacky stereotypical Asian style which can be most unappealing. Fortunately it never became patronising which was a relief.

The food itself was pleasant and rather varied. The menu did have a slightly vague feel to it, with probably a few too many dishes at first glance. Things started with a surprisingly refreshing stuffed chicken wings plate (left). They were tender, moist and crispy, with crunchy lemongrass and lime as a dressing. This is the kind of comfort food I didn't think was possible in a Thai restaurant.

Next up were some kong neum ruam, or dumplings (right). These were fairly close to the kind of dim sum snacks I just adore and they were not bad at all. A combination of attractive colours with prawns, chicken and pork made for a great sharing starter. Elsewhere we had some chicken skewers with satay sauce which wasn't far away from the kind of standard fare one expects from a takeaway place.

Main courses featured an interesting beef cooked in an 'aromatic coconut reduction' (left). The beef was nicely slow-cooked, falling apart with minimal fuss. The sauce was a little too heady for me, too strong with coconut but the spicing was excellent. A dish which really surprised me and I finished almost all of it.

The wife ordered a speciality dish of lamb shank braised in red coconut curry (right). It was too hot for me but the meat was cooked expertly, even better than the beef I'd chosen. The sauce was a rich, deep orange which coated the meat appetisingly. It was an interesting take on Thai food which I had not seen before, taking something rather rustic and homely, transforming it into a special, celebratory plate of food.

Another dish which was a bit much for me but widely praised by others was the sliced duck served with garlic, chilli and crispy basil (left). I'd not seen much duck used in Thai cookery until this but it was inventive, if over-spiced. There was a distinct freshness to the dish which helped elevate it.

The evening progressed in a pleasant and comfortable sort of way. There is something quite incongruous about a refined Thai restaurant in Soho - it certainly doesn't capture the Zeitgeist of where Soho is moving these days - but it's a nice place to be. The younger of the children was very tired but the staff were perfectly happy to let her take a nap on the banquette. It was a fun evening with friends and - though it's not somewhere I'd go again in a hurry - if you're into your Thai food in a classic surrounding, it may well be the place for you.

Patara