One exotic evening

When the first of the Jim Thompson's chain opened on this site in 1994, the term gastropub was newly minted, and this elegant Edwardian boozer was forced to make the transition straight from pub to restaurant. Granted, it was a pretty odd restaurant with bric-a-brac for sale and a 'South-East Asian' menu, but in spirit it was a restaurant nevertheless.

In the intervening decade gastropubs have stormed to the forefront, so it's no surprise that following the latest refurb Jim Thompson's feels happier associated with the informal, good-value eating that is the gastropub revolution than last time around. This place claims to be a bar, a bazaar and an Oriental restaurant. But along with redecoration (and a whole new set of dodgy objets d'art for sale to the unwary), a new chef called Phongsakom Phoonbangyung has taken over, and the lengthy menu has been groomed with the Thai elements perked up.

The huge dining room is dark and festooned with kites, bangles, Buddhas and lights, all for sale. According to the label, a set of three brightly naff, carved wooden masks retails for £85 and haggling is encouraged (if you started at £1 and got talked up to £2, you would still end up feeling robbed). But this is a very busy place indeed, teeming with happy diners. The pubbier front bar is full, and the restaurant is rammed. The food is very sound - a starter plate to share brings good tempura prawns, large chewy Thai fishcakes, decent spring rolls and somewhat overdone prawn toasts.

There's also a Malaysian special among the starters - murtabak is a delicious bread served with onions (in Malaysian eateries you can sometimes get a version made with egg which is even finer). Main courses are workmanlike: yum talay krob malakor is a salad made with mooli and topped with mussels, king prawns and fried anchovies, the belacan sambal can be made with either chicken or tiger prawns but is not hot enough for even an apprentice chili head - beef rendang is the best of the bunch, a good slow-cooked curry.

Service is friendly and fast, tables are turned at lightning speed, and there's a high level of both Chelsea and tourist babble to contend with. Perhaps the gastropub age has just caught up with the appeal of Jim Thompson's rather than the other way around?

Jim Thompson's
617 King's Road, SW6 2EF