Lai Thai

Lai Thai, one of the growing band of Thai restaurants in Edinburgh may have a somewhat dingy exterior but the food more than makes up for it. The menu is a well developed version of what one may expect to meet in many upper echelon Thais and there is clear evidence of precision and care throughout.

A good buy is the mixed starters, chosen for you by the chef and a sound way to start the meal. Consider also the loog chin tord, minced fish fashioned into bite-size balls and then fried in a spicy batter. Absolutely delicious is the gai yang, a small chicken in its entirety marinated in honey and spices, grilled over the charcoal and served with a subtle but sweet chilli sauce.

The menu explains that there are so many Thai desserts that to have a full choice with authentic ingredients would be prohibitive. Given the generosity of the helpings this problem could be fairly academic but even so the relatively small choice offered should serve to satisfy most tastes.

There is the usual range of banquets, all of them good value and packed with interesting combinations.