Ting Thai Caravan

I’d heard a lot about Ting Thai Caravan, and had even made it as far as the queue, during their tenure during the Festival, but circumstances had conspired against me, in terms of sampling their wares. I was pleased to see them reappear, with a more permanent feel to the place, after a quick post-Festival refit, so took the opportunity to pop in for a visit, today.

Following Gaby Soutar’s ringing endorsement, just recently, expectations were set high. This was further heightened when I saw Foodineer Hannah, sitting-in, who proclaimed the place to be very good indeed, also.

It’s counter service, both for sit-in and takeout orders. The system seemed to run quite efficiently. Everything is made fresh to order, so there’s a little wait, but that was fine by me. All dishes are served in cardboard takeout cartons, although they’ll spring to proper crockery for sit-in soup bowls. The sit-in space has a welcoming and informal feel to it.

Given that the place was packed, I opted for takeout, ordering a chicken pad Thai and some crispy pork skin. Orders were coming in thick and fast, but my boxes were soon with me, and with a friendly farewell from the counter staff, I was on my way.

Both dishes proved to be very good. The noodles were impressive, and the blend of flavours and textures made for a satisfyingly tasty dish. The nicely charred chicken was particularly good. The pork skin pieces reminded me a little of Quavers, and while I thought them a little under-seasoned on their own, when combined with the wonderfully sticky chilli jam they made for an enjoyably noisy snack.

So overall, Ting Thai Caravan is as good as everyone is saying it is. Their menu is extensive, so I’ll need to go back and play with some more of their dishes. I would recommend you do the same, as this is an impressive place, offering a high value dining experience.

Scores
Blythe scores Ting Thai Caravan
4/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 15.5/20

I ate: chicken pad Thai; crispy pork skin

I wore: new black brogues

Total bill: £6.40