Thai Dinner @ Lai Kanok, Kitasenju, Tokyo

 

This one is a bit special. Not only because the food is really authentic, but it is because this was also featured in one of my favourite Japanese TV shows: the Solitary Gourmet. So when the chance to try out this historic establishment, it was a no-brainer that I would jump at this opportunity. 

It is not authentic without the portrait of the former King!

Lai Kanok has been operating since 1993, and that is a real long time. Legendary in making proper authentic Thai dishes in the suburban part of north Tokyo, there is always a packed dining area on most nights. And for this time, 2 more diners will enter the venue. Even before having the first bite, it felt very authentic. The whole place smells of lemongrass and lime, the staff spoke in Thai, and the overall ambiance felt like you are not in Japan. And being my first time, we ordered the classics. Namely, tom yum and green curry. But soup and curry are not what make a full meal, so we also ordered a plate of morning glory and some desserts at the end. Of course, the main dishes were accompanied by some rice. 

Ungodly!

As it was a crowded evening, it took a while for our food to come. But the wait was worth it and with the first splurt f the tom yum soup, I finally know how they stayed in business for so long. It was rather incredible. Everything was totally on point. It was fruity, sweet, spicy, salty, and zesty all in one go. Definitely not something that you can easily get in Japan. The combination of various flavour profiles just hit like a ton of bricks. Not to mention that it is in a pot that is constantly heated with a small flame at the bottom, keeping it warm and bubbly. This spicy beast stood at 1450 yen. 

Original classic!

Green curry came next and it was also well executed. The sauce was creamy and thick, evident of the generous use of coconut milk. The spices were also well balanced, and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients that make up the curry paste. The chicken was tender and juicy, while the curry sauce latches onto it like a jealous lover. It was decadent yet clean at the same time. Combining it with rice made for a really amazing mouthful. A serving of rice itself stood at 250 yen while the curry was for a modest 980 yen. 

This was pretty refreshing. 

I did not expect myself to order morning glory here, but here we are. It was pretty interesting how it was made. Although a common vegetable back home, this was pretty expensive. But it has been a while and I thought of giving it a try. Stir fried with fish sauce, chilli and shrimp paste, this was pungent and refreshing at the same time. Again, rice came in like a reliable companion. This stir fry stood at a slightly hefty 1300 yen.

Sweet finish. 

After the amazing entrees, we had some dessert to end the meal. Namely coconut ice cream and some coconut and rice pudding. As the ice cream is naturally cold, while the pudding was hot and steamy, it was an interesting barrage to the senses.  Both were delicately sweet as they both use coconut milk in copious amounts. Each dessert stood at 470 yen a pop. Coconut is pretty expensive in Japan, so having so much for one meal feels pretty indulgent. And in the end, we left the meal totally satisfied. 

Front of the house. 

This was one of the better Thai eating experiences I had. Any better, you would have to go to Thailand directly. The dinner as a whole is a bit steep, but seeing that most of the ingredients would be imported, this seems a bit justified. Be that as it may, this was enjoyable from start to finish. A huge thumbs up for sure. So if you are somehow in that part of Tokyo and you need something spicy and zesty, then the address is as follows:

〒120-0034 Tokyo, Adachi City, Senju, 2 Chome−62 ラ・フェットビル