Tucked away in the heart of Brighton's historic Lanes, a small, bright restaurant named Namo is quietly redefining what it means to serve authentic Thai food in the UK. You won't find the familiar staples of pad Thai or green curry on its menu. Instead, chef and owner Bookie offers a resolutely modern and personal take on the cuisine of her native Thailand.
From Home Kitchen to Permanent Home
The story of Namo is one of pandemic-era resilience. It started life during lockdown as a delivery service run by Bookie from her own home kitchen. After building a loyal following, she took up residency at a local pub before, just a couple of months ago, moving into its first permanent location at 24 Ship Street, Brighton.
A Lunch Menu of Zest and Vim
The lunch offering is short and succinct, allowing each dish to shine. A meal might begin with their innovative miang bites, a vegan interpretation of miang kam. The traditional betel leaf is replaced with pert, bitter chicory, filled with a vibrant mix of chillies, herbs, roasted peanuts, and a powerful lime kick.
These are served alongside tom yum plantain chips – crisp, deep-fried slivers mingled with a delectable debris of dried chilli and fried curry leaves. Another standout is the excellent gai golae, featuring grilled chicken with crisp skin and soft meat, topped with a gentle, mellow coconut curry sauce designed to soothe rather than bombard the palate.
Skillful Grills and Personal Touches
The culinary skill continues with nua yang, or grilled beef, which possesses a mild sweetness and pleasing chew, accompanied by the merest whiff of Mekhong whisky. For seafood lovers, the muek grob offers beautifully fried squid dusted with larb spices and served with fresh mayonnaise, delivering a sly, dry heat and a good lime kick.
A particularly personal touch is the home-made sai ua, a northern Thai sausage reflecting Bookie's origins. Stained yellow with turmeric and possessing a slightly acidic bite, it comes garlanded with pickled ginger, coriander, and lettuce.
Throughout, the philosophy at Namo is clear: this is not food about blowing your head off with heat. It is skilled, modern Thai cookery that thoughtfully melds tradition with a more personal vision. With reasonable prices, lovely service, and a dinner menu that promises to be even more intriguing, Namo establishes itself as a cut above the average Thai crowd-pleaser. Prices are around £25 per head, making this Brighton gem a compelling destination for food lovers.
