Farang

good quality, good value cooking

‘Farang’ is a Thai term for a foreigner, though the restaurant that bears this name is now an established North London native, ensconced in Highbury Park since 2017. Inside, you'll find a bright space with tall windows, bottles of chilli sauce stacked along the walls and plastic palm fronds brushing against customers bound for their tables (with still more greenery suspended in pots above their heads). The menu divides into snacks, small and large plates – though it's easy to spot head chef Sebby Holmes’ preference for precise and punchy flavours based on ingredients that are flown in weekly from Thailand (apart from the Thai basil, which is grown in Leyton). Our visit kicked off with smoked mackerel miang bites with peanuts, ginger and lime – a burst of freshness folded in an edible betel leaf, and a counterpoint to a rich and sultry sticky caramel pork belly with crispy shallot. Curries are the mainstay of the ‘large’ dishes – though these yield some creative surprises, none more so than the 'gaeng gari' curry, with its layers of crispy pickled onion flaking away with the faintest nudge of a spoon. Most bigger dishes are substantial and designed for sharing, though every diner will want to lay claim to their own dessert: coconut panna cotta makes for a fine palate-cleanser. House wines start at £11 a glass; otherwise, opt for a pint of Singha Thai beer or a bottle of locally brewed Jiddler's Tipple. Don't forget to buy some of Farang's homemade dipping sauces and curry pastes to take home.