Khao Gaeng Thai in Kirkgate Market: A Review

With temperatures dropping and deadlines looming, the reality of final year is setting in. And whilst I cry over my dissertation, I am forced to see my graduated friends lounging on white sand beaches and shotting snake wine at full moon parties in Koh Phangan. Reluctant to face grad job applications and seminar readings, I can’t help but click on different backpacking route websites and flick through hostel reviews.

Thailand's beautiful national parks, historic temples, and nightlife scene are all calling my name, but what I crave more than anything is the food. And in between

9ams and the late-night library sessions, I have found the way to satisfy this craving during my final year at Leeds: Khao Gaeng Thai.

Khao Gaeng Thai is a small market stall tucked away in the corner of Kirkgate Market, serving authentic Thai street food that emulates the Khao Gaeng restaurants of Bangkok. Khao Gaeng – translating to ‘curry over rice’ – are a type of casual dining restaurant which serve home-cooked style meals and are popular across Thailand. They serve the traditional dishes you’d expect from a Thai restaurant, such as Thai red and green curries, Pad Thai and spring rolls, as well as list of lesser-known authentic dishes. The menu is also filled with gluten-free, veggie and vegan options. In the search to try something new, we asked our server for his recommendations and were encouraged to order the Pork Gra Prao, Prawn Tom

Yum and Chicken Pad Kee Mow – more commonly known as ‘drunken noodles’. We also added some Poh Piah Tod (vegetable spring rolls) alongside our order: we couldn’t resist.

After ordering, we sat ourselves down at one of the plastic tables, surrounded by the gorgeous bouquets that were almost spilling out of the neighbouring flower stall. Admiring the market’s Victorian architecture and intricate ironwork, it felt as though we barely waited five minutes before we were presented with our four steaming plates. And where

do I even begin to describe them?

The fragrancy of the lemongrass, fresh coriander and kaffir lime leaves, with the warmth of the chilli and galangal, and the tang of the tomato, created a flavour so complex that the Prawn Tom Yum had to be my favourite dish. The king prawns and mushrooms swimming in the hot and sour broth were absolutely delicious and exactly what we needed to keep warm in the crisp air of the market. For me, the Pork

Gra Prao was a close second: ground pork stir-fried with Thai holy basil, garlic and chillies, served with a generous portion of steamed rice. It was spicier than the Tom Yum soup, the kind of spice that makes your lips tingle, but not so spicy as to overpower the flavour of the traditional Thai herbs. The aftertaste of the Pad Kee Mow ramped up the heat even more. The thick noodles tangled with chicken pieces and vegetables were rich and garlicky, with a heat that crept from the back of your mouth once swallowed, making you crave another mouthful. Although I preferred my Pad Thai from a previous visit – honestly the best Pad Thai I have ever consumed – my date insisted that the Pad Kee Mow was her favourite dish of all. And we both agreed the spring rolls were absolutely perfect: stuffed with cabbage, golden and crispy. But it seemed criminal to place them above the other more flavour-packed dishes.

Khao Gaeng also deserves my recommendation because it is ridiculously affordable for the quality and portion sizes of their food. A huge plate of drunken noodles made fresh to order, for £7.95, seems unreasonably good, though I’m not complaining. And

as someone who is no stranger to a student budget, Khao Gaeng is the first place I’d recommend to any fellow student looking to treat themselves to a meal out –

especially to those who feel that eating out at good restaurants whilst at uni just isn’t possible for them. It might look unassuming, and whilst eating restaurant-quality dishes with disposable cutlery, sat on humble plastic furniture, feels almost absurd, it is all part of Khao Gaeng’s charm. I also have to say, Khao Gaeng is genuinely the perfect first date spot (though I can’t take credit for this, and have to thank another

failed Hinge expedition for introducing me). There’s almost no need to explore Leeds’ more upscale Thai restaurants – I promise you this is where the real deal is at.

Words & Images by Molly Lucas (she/her)