A local Thai takeaway is a stalwart of any London neighbourhood. Is a place truly habitable without the option of a green curry on your doorstep? Sadly, the rampant success of Thai cuisine has led to a plateau in quality. That green curry will taste much the same from E8 to CR4 and the menus are extensive but often homogenous. Som Saa’s residency at Climpson’s Arch is aiming to change all that. They have, in the space of 9 dishes created a broader flavour palette than all the neighbourhood Thai restaurants in London put together. The moo yang, citrus pork neck heaped with garlic and chilli, is one of our favourite dishes of the year. The flavour of the geng hung lay, a homely stew-cum-curry, expands and alters with every mouthful, leaving us completely unsure of the ingredients but yearning for another helping. With the dishes sprawling out in front of us, the contrast with more recognisable Thai cuisine was never greater. Rather than the Phong Churot (MSG) malaise of too many takeaway containers, each mouthful added a distinct and bold new flavour to the mix. The residency is set to continue, Thursday to Sunday, until the new year but there are whispers of an extension. We’re confident that those whispers will cascade into a full on chorus; this is too good to be temporary.

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