Whether you want to taste the distinctive flavours of Thai cuisine or prefer the warm English pub atmosphere, it's all happening at Ardleigh and Dragon in Hornchurch.

A combination of sour, sweet, hot, salty and bitter render Thai cooking that delicate sophistication and the menu is particularly descriptive when it comes to the degree of spicing. A traditionalist could try the dragon feast of medium spiced dishes like marinated pork spare ribs cooked in BBQ sauce; while the farang's fire feast is more adventuresome with the famous Thai green chicken curry and dry stir-fried flat noodles with spices and vegetables.

Other dishes that pique your curiosity could be the yum neau where beef is seared in a stock and spice combination, tossed with a salad, and the fiery pad ped gaprow talay, seafood stir-fried with fresh chillies and Thai basil leaves. A fragrant pandan leaf flavoured pancake filled with a mixture of coconut and palm sugar makes a fine ending to a meal at Ardleigh and Dragon.