http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai <b>Busaba Eathai</b><br />London, 22 Store Street, WC1E 7DF, United Kingdom en http://trustedplaces.com/uploads/placepics/trustedplaces.comaPlacePic['name']}.140.jpg http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1o3mi7
Review by mvk0016

Rating: 4.00
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Busaba Eathai is a very good quality chain of 3 restaurants, and the one in Store Street is in my opinion the best out of the 3. They offer simple food in a Wagamama-style setting (everyone shares a table and you are seating next to other people, sometimes with barely enough space for your plate to fit) although the decor is much nicer than Wagamama and more atmospheric. The dishes on offer vary from the everpresnt Thai curries (the duck curry and the pumpkin one are highly recommended) to more unique dishes of Chicken in Pandan leaf (a favorite for most, as you can see it in almost every table) and Thai calamari (a starter you shouldn't miss!) and some good noodle and stir-fry dishes. The hot and cold tea are all wonderful (hot tea comes in a little pot and is accompanied by coconut cookies) but unfortunately there are no desserts which is a surprise. The food is quite cheap (a tiny bit more expensive than Wagamama prices) and worth every penny of the money you will pay for it.]]> Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:01:57 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1o3mi7936730560 mvk0016 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1y4hp8
Review by Snowy

Rating: 3.00
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I used to work near here and we'd go a lot for lunch and I really enjoyed it but I went back recently for an evening meal and it was not so good. It was really busy which probably did not help. I ordered a squash curry and it was really spicy and there was loads of liquid but not much content - bit more like a soup really. I had the over all impression that it was expensive for what you got. And my friends were not too keen on being squashed onto the benches with other people. I don't they will be going back which is a shame because the food itself is very nice.]]> Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:00:36 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1y4hp81687649770 Snowy 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1r2ai8
Review by hollowlegs

Rating: 2.00
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Now I've been to the Wardour Street branch and thought it was fine, if a little unmemorable.

I came to this Store Street branch at lunchtime and ordered the jungle curry with steamed jasmine rice.

The curry was horrible. I had to send it back. Full of woody bits of lemongrass, it was fiery yet tasteless. It also had goose-pimpled pieces of chicken skin floating around in it and it was throroughly off-putting. I know that often cheaper cuts like thigh and leg which have skin on it are used as they have more flavour, but the ratio of the skin and the meat was disproportionate.

When I told the waiter I couldn't eat it, he gave me a withering look and said "Maybe I should have told you that the jungle curry comes with chicken skin and is quite spicy".

Err - yes, perhaps they should have told me that it would be garnished with flabby skin. But they didn't. It annoyed me that he tried to patronise me like that. I have spent many weeks in different parts of Thailand, and I never came across chicken skin curry after all.

Everyone else declared their mains as delicious.]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:18:22 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1r2ai81932761341 hollowlegs 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1z97t8
Review by Coffeegeek

Rating: 3.00
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This is one of those places people rave about and thereâ¬"s often a queue to get in. Once youâ¬"re in you get to share a table with noisy strangers and order some basic Thai food. The foods reasonable but itâ¬"s hardly authentic and the green curry I had tastes like itâ¬"s out of a jar. However, it's not expensive and the food is filling and tasty. The décor and layout is stylish enough if a little cramped. If youâ¬"ve had a few drinks and there is a crowd of you I think it would be fun.

If you havenâ¬"t had a few drinks and thereâ¬"s only a few of you, itâ¬"s noisy, cramped and the service is quick and blunt. Youâ¬"re in and out before you know whoâ¬"s been elbowing you and shouting across your table. Thereâ¬"s better Thai food in London and more fun places for a crowd of people.

Doubt I would go back.
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Review by gizmogirl

Rating: 1.00
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I thought the food was Horrible...I just don't understand why my friends recommend this restaurant to me...If u want real thai food, this is not the place to go for...
The curry kinda taste....strange..?
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Review by Anna_Chan

Rating: 1.00
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I went to Busaba on a Friday evening for my birthday in a party of 9 people and I was very disappointed that they spoilt it with an awful service. Firstly, they do not take reservations and would not give us a table until absolutely everyone was there which was frustating. When everyone had arrived we still had to queue outside for a while.

The worst part was it was my birthday and I had brought a cake along to celebrate only to be told that we could not eat it there!!! Turns out they have a no desserts policy, how strange. The waiter told me I could go elsewhere and that he didn't want to get sacked over allowing me to have my birthday cake, but he said you can take pictures of it but no eating (?!?!)

The service was very rushed, unfriendly waiters rushed us to order before we've even had a chance to look at the menu and the bill lands on your table before you've even had time to put down your chopsticks. The only good point is the food is delicious and well presented.

When my friend asked him how are the stir fry dishes presented, i.e. do they come with a side dish of rice? He rudely patronised her by demonstrating with his hands what a stir fry looks like to someone who's evidently Chinese (it's like trying to describe what curry is to an Indian person).

Definitely a fast food restaurant only good for casual dining but a bad place to go for birthdays as they really don't care that it's your special day. The only thing they care about is turnover, getting you in and out as quick as possible. I have to say Wagamama which is similar offers a much better service and at least they allow people to celebrate their birthdays happily, which isn't too much to ask for?!
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Review by sevs

Rating: 3.00
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i've been going to the wardour branch of busaba ever since it opened, but found that over the past year the portions have got smaller and the staff terser, i was once 'told off' like a small child for sitting at a window by one member of staff because the other had failed to mention we'd requested this and then we were hurried out of our seats before we'd even finished our meal. that was the last time i set foot in there, i was told by a friend goodge street was better and it is. the portions are still of a good size, even though the prices have been hiked up a little not making it the cheap eats place it was. it's quiert and the staf are more friendly and remember you. it's worth it for a quick bite after retail therapy or before going out but not for lingering. ]]> Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:28:53 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1x94t81098040608 sevs 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1384l8
Review by lenalouise

Rating: 3.00
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This is thai with a bit of a twist. It's slightly more modern than your usual thai food with some more interesting ingredients thrown in and little things just to make it a bit more funky. For example, the rice comes in a bamboo thing with a lid.

I had sen chan phad thai which is rice noodles with prawn, peanut, egg, green mango and crabmeat. Pretty spicy if you can take it. They were a bit stingy on the ingredients and I wasn't convinced on the green mango...I think it could have been left out. The flavour was pretty good though.

My friend had jungle curry with chicken, aubergine, bamboo shoots and french bean. Very tasty but again, it was lacking in ingredients. I thought the sauce was a bit liquid but he didn't seem to mind.

Generally, I'd come here again if I was looking for a quick lunch but I wouldn't have a full-on dinner here. There's better places to go.]]> Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:57:08 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1384l8560161899 lenalouise 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1173e7
Review by Lemonpie

Rating: 3.00
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It's good value for good food, but you're not going to get a long lazy lunch here. It's all about a quick turnaround, so if you're hurry it's ideal.]]> Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:09:48 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1173e7335058140 Lemonpie 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1r3288
Review by Hak

Rating: 1.00
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sorry I have to disagree. I can't stand this place. It use to be a great place, but it very clear that the only thing that interest them is your money. I have been quite few time and their were plain rude and stupid. They treat people like cattle. Shame I use to like it. Food quality doesn't seem to have gone down with the service though..]]> Thu, 24 May 2007 12:07:10 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1r3288148915783 Hak 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1762o7
Review by Julia_Toast

Rating: 3.00
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Honestly love this place. It's so relaxed and chilled and the thai food is heavenly. Plus it's really affordable.
Can't fault it. Oh and except once, I attended a private party in the room downstairs and the service was bad. But one bad apple and all that....]]> Sun, 22 Apr 2007 13:59:59 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1762o71442454926 Julia_Toast 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1622i8
Review by kristina

Rating: 4.00
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Really good food and very good value for money. A real buzzing atmosphere and friendly staff]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:57:29 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1622i8317603654 kristina 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1q31q8
Review by tristan

Rating: 4.00
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Good food. Shared tables. Busy. Fun. Exotic ambience. Cheap. Hence the line to get in.]]> Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:12:39 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1q31q8220950123 tristan 51.519349 -0.132722 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1n7148
Review by idoru

Rating: 3.00
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Busaba Eatthai - Funky Fresh Minimal Delicious Busy

I pulled my hat down and cheekily walked with purpose to the front of the 20 strong que. I made it past the nice gentleman and his note pad and found my friends 3/4s through their mains. Opened in 1999 by the co-owner of Wagamama it has the same large shared tables (about 12-16) but square. So I squeezed on the end of one of the benches and ordered myself a large glass of rose from a pretty waitress who had a menu studied knowledge of the 3 different types they stocked. I went for the Spanish tempranillio& at 4.90.

With no booking it's line up and wait for a table, so this is not a place I'd recommend for a long wine fuelled catch up or romantic dinner, and particularly a Friday night (or when its cold and wet as well).. I found the hustle and the pressure to finish our meal and leave a bit much. But I can imagine it's the perfect place to come if you were going to a show in the Westend and were a bit pressed for time. I was told by one of my friends its much more relaxed on a Wednesday.

The décor is modern with a Japanese feel, the tables and stools a solid wood and the ceiling high. Ant there's the added plus of it being a non-smoking venue. The wait staff are efficient and rushed. I couldn't help thinking about the logistics of high turn over and shared tables but they seemed to have it down. I'm not sure if I like being somewhere where the plight of the wait staff distracts me from my friends, but either way I was impressed by them.

The food is reasonably cheap and the quality high with my Prawn Pad Thai reminiscent of an expensive one (by Thai standards) I had on the beach at Koh Chang as the tide came in round my feet& (bliss). Apparently this is where the idea for the place came from , a beach in Thailand& the name is an interesting reflection of the restaurants Thai meets new world premise with Busaba' a Thai flower and Eathai, 'eat' and 'Thai', fused together.

All in all a great places that fills it function well, definitely go there with the expectation of a good time and not a long time.

Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00
Fri-Sat 12:00-23:30
Sun 12:00-22:00

Average price about 18 a head
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Review by paulas

Rating: 4.00
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A fantastic concept-eating place - very stylish. Surprisingly, the food, staff, presentation and price are all as easy on the eye as the decor. ]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:31:22 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o0248b/busaba-eathai/1731q81193383605 paulas 51.519349 -0.132722