27 May 2013

restaurant review: Busaba Eathai in Westfield Stratford

This blog post is what you're probably not used to seeing on here but it's good to mix things up. Also, sharing good food really is caring. :)

Last week, one of my good friends, Kay, and I were in Stratford, London on some important business (not stationery related in case you were wondering) and by about 2pm, our stomachs were growling. In desperate need for some food, we navigated our way around a very big Westfield Stratford and stumbled across Busaba Eathai. I've never been there before but Kay had and she said it was alright - so what was there to lose? Thai food, a recommendation from a London restaurant connoisseur (her, not me!) and two starving bellies? Can't really go wrong there.


Now, I loooooooove Thai food. I made my own pad thai a few weeks' ago and it was pretty decent. It's obviously much better when you have it in a restaurant (I swear that having to wash up dishes and a wok can bring down a dish by a few notches) but it wasn't bad either.

Anyway, moving on swiftly... Our choice of beverage was a 'Guava Collins' each, which according to the menu had guava, lime, coconut and Thai lime leaf in it. It tasted a little sweet and a little mild too. I wasn't particularly blown away by this drink but I didn't dislike it either.


I opted for a 'tom yam talay' which was a noodle soup with prawn, squid and fish cake in a spicy sour soup base. I was quite impressed with the number of prawns that were in it and I really enjoyed it. It was quite a breezy day and as I feel the cold really easily, I chose this noodle soup and I didn't regret it although the soup base was a bit saltier than I personally would have liked.


That is... Until I tried what Kay had ordered. She went for the pad thai and when I tried a little, I found that the pad thai really, really tickled my tastebuds. That's definitely what I'm ordering the next time I venture into this restaurant chain! We also ordered 'Goong tohd prawn' to share and that wasn't bad either but I wouldn't say it was something to write home about (I found the sauce too sour and salty).


Overall, my experience with Busaba Eathai was actually quite a positive one. The service was fast and efficient and the food wasn't too bad either. Next time, I'm definitely ordering the pad thai, plus a different drink and side. For the two of us, the bill came to just under £30 (including 10% service) which is a on the pricier side. However, as I only eat out once or twice a month (on average), I felt that this treat was justified. After all, we all need a treat from time to time, right?

So, if you're ever in Central London and fancy Thai food, Busaba Eathai isn't a bad shout if your purse strings allow :)

NB: I was not paid to write this review and I paid for the food myself.

4 comments

  1. Hi Angela, this looks like a really nice meal! I agree with you about treating yourself, I like to eat out once every fortnight as well and it's a lovely treat that I look forward to all week! xx

    www.beautyeverafter.net

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    1. It was really nice! I prefer low salt and low fat foods so that's why I was maybe a bit harsh about the soup base and sauce that came with the prawns but overall, I left the restaurant with a very happy belly :) I'm completely with you on looking forward to eating out! It's my highlight too lol! Especially choosing what cuisine and restaurant to go for :-) xxx

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  2. I walk past a Busaba Eathai at Westfield White City at least twice a month and had never even stopped to look at the menu, but those starters/sides and pad Thai sound amazing! Will definitely be popping in for lunch or dinner soon. x

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    1. Definitely give it a go :-) It's on the pricier end but if you want a cheaper Thai alternative and are in South Ken/Gloucester Road, there's somewhere called Thai Taste which is slightly cheaper but also quite nice too :) x

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