The Paddyfield

I have to say - I'm utterly horrified and disgusted at the reviews below. The food is excellent, the service fantastic and I've recommended this place numerous times to friends who say the same.

If you haven't yet tried it, don't let the negative comments put you off. This restaurant is the essence of Thailand. The seafood pad thai is delicious with an abundance of seafood in it! The Laksa's and TomYum soups are delicious as well - I'm only sorry that they don't make such a great takeaway choice or I'd have them all the time! We've never visited without being served at least 2 free dishes.

Do visit and enjoy the food, the service and the fact that everyone is made welcome - even if it means moving some people around! I love it.
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Zoe
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I thought 'Bun' in Balham was bad until I decided to eat at Paddyfield. I had heard good things but everything from the unbelievably pushy and annoying service to the godawful food was appalling. John Torode reccomends this place. I can only imagine he must have eaten here at gunpoint.

We had summer rolls which included no fresh vegetables or herbs, just vermicelli noodles and the odd small prawn, a diabolical papaya salad which seemed to consist mostly of a bag of Sainsburys Italian leaf salad and was sopping wet. They actually refunded the cost of this and seemed embarrassed to have it on the menu.

Main courses were a Rendang beef curry- unidentifiable as a curry and lukewarm and the worst pad thai I have ever eaten- soaking wet, very few noodles and a mussel which I felt it wise to avoid in the circumstances

All in all up there with the worst meals I've ever had to pay for.

Bento on Bedford Hill does decent Thai Food of an average standard and gives good service at an OK price. Go there if you're looking for good cheap oriental food in Balham.
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Daniel
0 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, March 27, 2011

Went to The Paddyfield last night and must say we were disappointed with everything. We were just looking for a cheap eat on the way home and that is what you expect with a a BYOB restaurant. Not here! the waiter was very pushy offering to even give my partner a free salad if he could choose the meal for him. Both main meals came and the tiniest portions of fish curry and some prawn dish came out with a few rice grains fanned out on the side. The bill came after this with the service charge sneakily put among the dish prices - I don't mind paying for service but I feel everything should be upfront. The total cost of the meal - without alcohol - was £40 for two main courses and some prawn crackers. I've never felt so hungry after leaving a restaurant before. Never going back.
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3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Sunday, January 09, 2011

I went to Paddyfield a couple of weeks ago having been many times before. The food has never been brilliant, but reasonable and as a byo, quite good. However, the prices seem to have been increased and the portion sizes are really really small for what you are expected to pay. The service staff, particularly the manager are rude and although it is not a restaurant you would expect to linger in, you are literally stood over until you leave as soon as you've finished your food. Not a relaxing dinner, left feeling cheated and will not be returning. If you want a cheap and good dinner, there are many better places in Balham alone.
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Jen
1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Thursday, November 18, 2010

FYI- your review totally fails. If waiting in a line and being in a crowded restaurant made you upset then obviously you've never eaten in Thailand.

This is absolutely THE best thai food I've ever tasted in my entire life. The service staff are lovely too. It does get crowded and sometimes you have to wait for a table- but that just goes to show you how AMAZING it is! I usually go once a week!

I recommend the Thai Basil Chicken with some steamed coconut rice. Lovely.
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Katrina
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

We had heard so many good things about this restaurant from the amazing food, the lovely service and the extra 'free' food that is handed out, that we really had to try it.

Unfortunatley, we were shoved onto a table right in the middle of the walkway, we waited 25 mins for our starter and whiile free food was being handed out to everyone but us the waiter knocked over our drinks on the table (becuase it ws in the walkway) adn all over us. There was no apology.

We then had to wait a further 25 mins for our main meal, and when it still ahdn;t come (but still...everyone else was being given food to try) we decided that we had to leave

The service was terrible, what small amount of food we did have was ok, but they portions were so small for the price!

I was hoping to really enjoy it, but we really will not be returning
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1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Thursday, September 30, 2010

Everyone has their own experiences and I have been compelled to write this due to the previous couple of reviews. My girlfriend and I have lived in Balham for a good few months now and visited Paddyfield for the first time recently. Both of us have been to Thailand and done Thai cookery cookery courses. I have been to Thailand many times and Thai is my favourite food. It is no exaggeration when I say that the food we had here is some if the best I have tasted. The balance of spices was totally spot on. If you are looking for a plush place, go elsewhere. If you are looking to eat really good Thai food at reasonable prices, in my experience this is THE place in this area. The waiter/owner was perhaps a little too enthusiastic about his opinions but I thought he was actually right in what he was saying about the food combinations. Some people may find this intrusive but if you don't like it, stick with your own choices! Would definitely recommend.
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James
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Friday, July 30, 2010

Having grown up in Cairns Australia with Thai cuisine on my doorstep and with Thai being the most popular cuisine, having been to Thailand, and having done Thai cookery classes, I believe I'm a fair judge of Thai cooking. Well, went to Paddyfield this evening with my girlfriend, and for the first time in my life, I've been motivated to write a review. Why? The food here was the poorest Thai cuisine I've ever tasted. My girlfriend ordered a papaya salad as a main and I ordered the chicken and basil with coconut stirfry. I have no issues with waiting for a meal, when it's fresh and tasty. However, the papaya salad was a big slop with what appeared to be, the type of prawns that are pumped up with brine - the half price pumped up prawns that cheap supermarkets often tote. The salad was in such a lake...my girlfriend wasn't sure whether to eat it or drink it! Well, onto the chicken and basil coconut stirfry - I did say 'stirfy'. However, this was more like a stew - neither a stirfy nor a curry. As far as basil went, did they actually forget to put it in? Added to the fact that it was tasteless with none of the Thai flavours you would expect. The taste that hit my tastebuds, was I could only imagine, obtainable by getting a can of coconut milk and mixing in some chunks of chicken and a few diced veggies and stirred on a hob for half a minute. With the 12.5% service charge sneakily added in (just appears on the bill in a list) to the total by the restaurant , I was only too happy to pay the approximate 30 quid for a couple of mains and a couple of teas, just to escape the place. Oh, even the tea was served in big coffee mugs with tea bags on strings. Lift your act Paddfield... you have put your Thai food in a league of its own - definitely not the Premier League! I would even give ASDA ready meals a go, rather than come back here.
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Tim
3 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

One of the worst experiences i have had in a long while!

We had booked for 7.30pm and arrived a couple of minutes late and were 'told off' by the manager! He rushed us into ordering, and when we were undecided, offered to order for us, and having read previous reviews, would have to agree all the dishes were seafod based.

The food was good, but the service was so rushed. The main courses were arriving even before we had finished the starters. We hadn't even finished the food when the waiter cleared the table and presented us with the bill - it was now only 8.50pm! We were told the table was booked again for 9.00pm and would have to leave. This was on a Thursday night, so can't imagine what it would be like on a weekend.

I feel the food was expensive - £80 for 4 of us and we were only allowed to have the table for just over an hour.

When we complained to the manager about not being allowed to stay and finish our wine - he then was over the top saying 'Yes the customer is always right' and made us feel awkward.

We left and popped over to Dish Dash across the road for coffee and dessert!

I will not be returning again!
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Jane - View all reviews by this user
2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Monday, March 08, 2010

Very very medicore food (bordering on rubbish) for a very expensive price. I ate here the other night with my girlfirend and i have to say this has to be one of the most expensive BYOB restaurants i've been to. I am familar with the craze as they are all over New York and have been hitting London quite a bit over the past couple of years or so - but watch out - this place has some lovely hidden charges.

When looking through the menu the waiter recommended a garlic tiger prawn dish that he quoted to be 'amazing!' 'The sauce, the sauce it's all about the sauce, out of this world'. Well i don't know what world you're living in buddy but i've had a few Uncle Bens sauces on a Monday night when you can't be bothered to cook that taste just a good if not better! At 8.95 minus rice...which i was not aware of until it was kindly brought to the table and 2 pounds added to the bill.... so the dish really is £10.95 with about 4 tiger prawns! Oh speaking of prawns they do come and ask as you wait if you would like some prawn crackers... in mid conversation we were like oh that would be nice... and i did say to the waiter! 'on the house' to which he nodded! Nope another 2 quid added to my bill! Ok i'm not being a tight git as i am far from it ,it's just when you spend 30 quid in a BYOB and get food that tastes like your Monday night ready made stir fry you kinda feel you've been a bit swizzed! As well as receiving a bill with nothing explained but loads of seperate 2 pounds on it,as well as your waaaaaay over priced mains!

Won't be back! London has far better to offer! In fact Balham alone! Sorry!
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BYOB
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, February 10, 2010