Legend has it that Saint Alban's severed head rolled down Holywell Hill from the execution site before AD 324, but now with the opening of several boutiques and cafés things have moved on and changed for the better. Thai on The Hill is another welcome addition to the dining out scene, managed by the team behind Supattra House in St Albans.

The cooking is characterised by vibrant flavours that are altogether pleasing, starting with appetisers such as crab and coconut cake with sweet chilli sauce, and crispy spring rolls filled with grass noodles and vegetables. The main courses are well structured and focus on variety, there's stir-fried duck with ginger and jelly mushrooms and red tilapia fillet steamed with Chinese leaf, plums, ginger and coriander. The curry list, which embraces the medium spiced massaman with slices of beef or chicken, potatoes and roasted cashew nuts and the red, green, yellow and jungle versions, only show that the demand for curries is always set to remain strong at the Thai on The Hill.