Go (Thai) West

‘Hidden gem’ is a woefully abused phrase, most commonly employed by half-arsed journalists and 'travellers' who have stumbled upon a restaurant without English translations printed on to its peeling laminated menus.

But in the case of the Thai West Cafe, I'll make an exception. Located just off Regent Street, this restaurant may boast the decor of a community hospital canteen, but its 'bare-bones' style (i.e it doesn't have a toilet and it is cash only) has a certain charm which is often lacking in very central London.

The food is astonishingly good value. You can leave feeling fit to burst having spent under a tenner, especially as it is BYOB with free corkage. The menu is short, but covers all of the usual Thai fodder, and the Pad Thai pairs particularly well with the majority of a bottle of £5.99 Oxford Landing Sauvignon Blanc from the offy opposite. Portions are vast and delicious, so don't order more than one dish unless you model yourself on Mr. Creosote.

It's a small space, but ideal for those eating alone. The long window table is open on to the street during the summer for some people watching, and the ten or so tables inside are small, meaning that you won't be asked to share them or find yourself guiltily colonising vast swathes of table.

The staff are very friendly, but don’t pay you too much attention - ideal if you just want to drink your wine from a tumbler and read your book in peace. You order food, it is brought to you, and you pay the bill. There are, mercifully, no sporadic intrusions from waiters who touch your shoulder and ask how your meal is going with the sincerity of someone offering condolences to a recently bereaved pet owner.

The other diners tend to be a mixture of passing tourists and small groups of Londoners who can’t believe their luck. The background noise is a mixture of pleasingly multilingual chatter and tinny Thai pop which has not, understandably, had the same success as its Korean equivalent. The size of the restaurant and its speedy service mean that you could be in and out within half an hour depending on how quickly you can wolf down an acre of noodles, but it is a surprisingly pleasant place to linger. Just remember to go to the loo beforehand.

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Food: 3 - So delicious and affordable as to almost arouse suspicion. Add in the BYOB element, and you've got arguably London's best value restaurant.

Layout: 2- Great for solo diners due to range of tables and window seats, but the atmosphere certainly errs towards the institutional.

Awkwardness: 3 - None. I've never been the only solo diner, and the informal atmosphere/strip lighting means this is about as far from intimate and romantic as you can get.

Service: 2 - Quick, friendly and efficient. Nobody will interrupt you half way through to check how your meal is - a plus, in my eyes.

Convenience: 3 - There is no bathroom on site (use the pub next door) and the minute restaurant and table service means you can keep an eye on your things at all times.

Overall: 13/15. Amazingly good value if esoteric dining in central London.

Book: Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd.

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Thai West Cafe

87 Brewer Street

Soho

London

£ (cash only)