Thainese Restaurant

My wife and I agree, this is the worst Thai food we have had,. Maybe the Singaporean dishes are great, but we didn’t order any. I was going to give it one star because it fails my rule of not being better than if I made it at home, by a lot. But we only ate there once, so maybe it was an off night. Also, this place must have been a Turkish restaurant before, because that is the décor.

Now, I have not eaten in the restaurant itself, but I have ordered delivery twice now and both times have been excellent. Walthamstow is not known for its Thai food, but if you’re craving a good pad thai or Penang curry, this is the place to go. You will pay more than your average takeaway prices, but it’s really worth it. The portions are big, the food is always fresh and flavourful, and I have never been sick after (a huge issue for me with most deliveries).
The chicken Pad Thai has been consistently fresh, flavoursome, and spot-​on. Balanced, tasty, and about £7. The curries are always full of veggies, meat, and heat and taste just how they should. My horribly calorific favourite meal is split a Pad Thai with my partner and then pour some Penang curry over the top. So very nice (but not at all diet-​friendly). The food always arrives on time, hot, and well-​packaged. Highly recommended for fans of Thai food who despair at the lack of good Thai takeaways in the ‘Stow.

This is a local Walthamstow legend, but is it worth making the trip from elsewhere in East London? I would say yes. I would recommend this restaurant to those who love Thai and Chinese food. It was extremely busy when we went, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Fabulous Singaporean restaurant masquerading as a Thai/​Chinese joint (why?) on a lonely stretch of Hoe St. Seriously, I haven’t had Singaporean food this good since coming to London. The fish grilled in banana leaf nearly made a grown woman cry tears of chilli happiness. It’s hot, authentic food, served up with a smile.

The staff here are so kind and friendly that really hope this place does well, but something tells me they’re catering for a market that’s maybe a little too exclusive.
It’s a halal restaurant owned and staffed by Muslims, so neither pork dishes or alcohol are available. It’s not that big a deal the food’s good but non-​meat options are extremely limited too, with just four dishes in the menu’s vegetarian list. Although almost any SE Asian dish can be prepared with vegetables and/​or a meat substitute by their very accommodating chef, this wasn’t clear from the menu. Tofu ‘wasn’t delivered today’ so their one Tofu-​based dish wasn’t available, so the chef made me an off-​menu Thai Red curry with vegetables, which was very good, but not spectacular and at £9.50 (inc rice) seemed expensive, for its location the small stretch of nowhere on Hoe St between the Baker’s Arms and Walthamstow, opposite a Tesco garage.
Interestingly, a selection of lobster dishes were listed, and I wondered how many customers would shell out £44 to eat crustacea in the E17 hinterland.
Décor is interesting but seating is uncomfortable walls artexed in a sand colour to evoke a desert setting, wooden chairs and tables, with benches/​booths at the back where it’s not quite possible to sit up to the tables because they’re solid.
Walthamstow has become extremely cosmopolitan, so there’s something very apt about a restaurant that’s owned by a Burmese guy, staffed by young men from Pakistan, and that serves food from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Burma. I was psyched to discover it as only the two other places I know of Chequers pub in the High St. and a greasy spoon near the bottom of Queens Rd on Markhouse Rd serve Thai food, and not all the time.
I rarely drink and I don’t eat meat, so at first Thainese seemed like an ideal choice, but its lack of vegetarian choices, uncomfortable seating and high prices for the area wouldn’t have me rushing back for dinner. Pad Thai is missing from the menu a plate of this for £6.50 probably would.