Passorn

Brougham Place, Edinburgh

visited 3/9/10


I don't often comment on Thai food as I don't know enough about it, but Passorn has inspired my pen. I had heard a lot about it and its popularity, but we were able to get a Friday night table for 6 at 20 minutes' notice. The restaurant has an elegant, calming feel--all browns and silvers with no orientalist Thai Kitsch to be seen.

The menu is sensibly restricted to the fundamental cooking methods (curries, wok, steamer) with some more individual dishes scattered among them. My first choice was not perhaps the best, but who could resist "Prawn Mr and Mrs", which was 2 prawns in that thing that's always described as tempura in thai restos but isn't, and 2 in filo pastry. I think something went a bit wrong with the first attempt as all my fellow diners had finished their starters by the time this one arrived. The prawns were excellent--the filo ones in particular had a perfect, peppery seasoning inside the wrapper, but had been left a moment too long in the hot oil so that the pastry was hard. The delay allowed me to tuck into my companions' starters, highlights among which were a spicy and tender beef salad and the best Thai fish cakes I can remember having (ie not rubbery and really tasting of fish).

Next I had a truly wonderful dish: pla samun prig. Big, firmchunks of fried monkfish and crispy onions in an unctuous, golden sauce flavoured mainly with turmeric and garlic but with a real kick of chilli to cut through it. It was one of those dishes where strong and distinctive flavours worked together without disrupting the point of the dish—the monkfish—and managed to be light, and creamy, and spicy all at the same time. I also managed to get my fork into a very nicely balanced chicken red curry and a really good dish of crisp, spiced aubergine slices in a light soy. There’s lots more to try on this menu.

The wine list is short and nothing really stood out, so we had several bottles of the House white--the reliable Concho y Toro sauvignon blanc. This was a celebration meal (congratulations, Ilse!) and a very nice place to have it—the service was efficient, friendly and unobtrusive.

Passorn has positioned itself as a “fine dining” Thai restaurant (for want of a better term—all good dining is fine, as far as I’m concerned). The food is thoughtful, carefully built up with marinades and seasoning, and attractive to look at. I recommend it.