Lahpet
Burmese
58 Bethnal Green Rd, Shoreditch, London E1 6JW
££
Originally based in Hackney, Lahpet has now upgraded to a large, lofty site just a stone’s throw from Shoreditch High Street overground. Not an area of London I usually frequent, due to the fact I think it’s largely overrated and still really a bit grim. Lahpet, however, is neither of these. A stylish and warming interior of brass cutlery and warm wood; the restaurant is decorated with dark pieces of bamboo leaning against the huge windows which frame one side of the restaurant.
The warmth of the interior matches the Burmese cuisine: a joyous fusion of it’s Thai and Indian cousins, bringing the freshness of Thai together with the more indulgent side of Indian. This warmth was continued in the service, each waiter and waitress bringing a smile and a genuine desire to help you make your best choices of their short but powerful menu. The venue was absolutely packed when we arrived for our 7:30pm booking on a Saturday night: two hopeful punters who arrived just before us were even turned away as they didn’t have a reservation. It opened April 2018, and has since earned the reputation of the Best Burmese Restaurant in London.
For drinks, we ordered a bottle of French Viognier, for a reasonable £26. It was light, fresh and fragrant: a perfect complement to the dishes to come. To start, we went for the Balachaung Dumplings (£4.5), made from dried shrimp, garlic, ginger, chilli, peanut oil and served with shallot vinegar. They were like no dumpling I’d ever had before: encased in a really thick and sticky parcel and bursting with blow-your-brains-out spice. Would I get them again? Probably not. I’m usually a serious dumpling lover, however, these had an odd, wood-chippy texture, and whilst I’m usually good with spice, these were at the level that rids you of any possibility to enjoy the flavours, an issue of excess that really annoys me.
We also ordered the Kachin Beef (£8.5), that came with Sichuan pepper, shalap leaves, cockscomb mint, culantro, chilli and garlic oil. The beef was tender, if not slightly fatty, however, this was offset by the freshness in the mint, pepper and culantro (not to be confused with cilantro). To top off out starter choices, we went for the Lahpet Thonk (£8), a tea leaf salad with double fried beans, cabbage, tomato, chilli, dried shrimp, sesame seeds, garlic oil and peanuts. It was recommended to us by our dining neighbours and I am so glad for it – it was absolutely delicious and the star of the show by a long way. Reminding me of the many Papaya Salads I had eaten in Thailand, only better. I wish I could have one of these every single day.
For large plates, Tom and I somewhat surprisingly decided to part ways. This is pretty much unheard of for us: as a couple of greedy guzzlers, we like to try as much out of the meal as possible. Tom ordered the Pork & Mustard Green Curry (£12.5), whilst I went for the Coconut Noodles with Chicken (£12.5). Tom’s slow cooked pork shoulder was served with pickld mustard greens, star anise, pea shoots and peanuts. It arrived, brown and gleaming, looking every bit as decadent as it sounded. I’m not a massive fan of either pork or mustard, however, from my small taste I must say that it was pretty good.
My chicken noodles were served with shallots, spring onion, paprika oil, crispy wonton, egg, lime and coriander. Swimming in a vibrant yellow liquid, the dish was like a Laksa, only way more mild and more full-bodied. There were less tart flavours of, say, lemongrass, and more emphasis on the creaminess of the coconut. It was seriously tasty, and I sat there with a smug look on my face after Tom has had a taste and I knew he agreed. Whilst this was my favourite thing I ate, I must say I do think I prefer a slightly more fresh noodle soup, like those you find in Thailand, or in a Malaysian Laksa.
We didn’t think we could ever fit in pudding, but the best thing about South East Asian food is that it doesn’t leave you with a heavy sluggish feeling afterward. Because of this, we managed to convince ourselves that just one scoop of mango sorbet (£3) wouldn’t hurt. It arrived on a bed of crunchy and sweet biscuit crumbs and was a great palette cleansing way to finish a meal full of so many flavours.
Lahpet is a great place to come if you’re relatively local and want a stylish, original meal. Would I come again? Quite possibly, however, I think that my heart will always reside in Burma’s better half, the one and only Thailand.
OVERALL RATING: ****
https://lahpet.co.uk/
