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    Kinkao

    4.1 (54 reviews)
    ModerateHalal, Korean
    Open 12:00 pm - 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Kinkao Photos

    KINKAO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Kinkao

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    Reviews With Photos

    Meike B.

    It always feels a bit like cheating to have Thai rather than Indian food on Brick Lane but Kinkao never disappoints. The decor is a bit cliché and over the top, but the food is delicious and very good value. I have tried a number of curries and stir fries, all yummy. The rice sides are a bit on the small side, but the main dishes generous - and beautifully decorated with carved vegetables. They really love their carvings here ... My last visit was on a rare Summer evening, and they opened up the front windows - not quite beach front, but hey, we almost felt like being on holiday.

    Golden bags
    Sandy X.

    An excellent Thai restaurant. I love Thai food, so I'm always trying new places and Kinkao is among some of the best!! I got the golden bags appetizer (I forget what they are called in the restaurant though) and they were really delicious. The Panang curry is creamy and you really can't stop eating it once you start :P The only thing is that I ordered the seafood panang, and I didn't know what type of seafood would be in it and would have liked to know. There is an really good selection of different types of rice (sticky, regular jasmine, coconut, garlic, etc) The decorations are really cute actually. The chairs are super heavy (in a fun way) and it is nice to see a restaurant go all out and give the place an interesting environment. The staff are quite nice and service is not too fast or too slow. I had a great time!

    Roast duck penang and jasmine rice
    Tom A.

    I don't usually post reviews and this is the first restaurant review i have written, but I thought this restaurant deserved it. Firstly, I walked in and was taken away by the authentic, solid wood furniture. The decor of the whole place was lovely. I was greeted very politely and seated promptly, although it was just before 6 so it wasn't busy yet, but it started to fill up quickly! I ordered my favourite Thai dish; roast duck penang with some jasmine rice. This was by far the best panang I have tried to date, it was creamy and incredibly flavoursome. The food arrived very quickly and was very well presented. And I can't fault the staff, they were very friendly. Overall I would thoroughly recommend this restaurant, it was a great experience.

    Lovely furnishings shipped from Thailand
    Wendy L.

    It is mind blowing to see how much Kinkao has invested into their restaurant. We entered into their restaurant and was mesmerized by their wooden furnishing and only to realised they got it handcrafted and shipped from Thailand. Tables and chairs of beautifully carved pictures conveying Thai culture. It was one of the restaurant that most attracted our eye whilst walking down Brick Lane and hence how we found this gem. But could the decor just be compensating it's quality of food? Not at all. Instead I can say it is probably one of the best Thai restaurants in London. Quality and flavour is very present at this restaurant. We started with our starters and first to arrive were our satay seafood and thai fishcakes in lovely wooden stands. The skewers consisted of squid and prawn, all very fresh and plumb. They cooking time was perfect to retain it's juices for that ncie bouncy texture. The satay sauce was also housemade, generous with the peanuts so it nice and chunky. Some can be quite sickly but they got the flavours just right on this one. I would have preferred if the fishcake was more thicker so it had a better bite but for what we got it was very good, also plumb and bouncy and seasoned well. It also tasted freshly made and not fried beforehand like some I've have. My Tom Kha soup was also delicious, fragrant of coconut, creamy and with a lot of depth from the generous ingredients used to give it's different notes of flavour. There was a good amount of heat to it, not burning but enough to get your tongue buzzing. With such a successful round of starters we were really looking forward to the mains. First to arrive was our impressively large char-grilled seabass served whole. I always love my fishes served whole and it is the authentic way to serve fish in the oriental cuisine.The seabass was prepared well, seasoned beforehand so the flavours really came through. The skin was perfectly crisp, seabass fresh so it was very flaky and moist. It came with more fish sauce but it really wasn't needed as it was already well flavoured. The spice was mild but I liked it that way. My favourite had to be the lamb shank. The fat must have permeated the meat as it was lovely and tender, sweet and juicy. The thai red curry sauce itself was also lovely, not synthetic but creamy with a hint of sweetness. It really well with the lamb shank adding a more buttery texture to the already soft and moist meat. It also came with some side vegetables of plain cooked carrots and broccoli which was I was dipping into the sauce. It made the dish less heavy which was very thoughtful. We also ordered a veggie dish of sweet and sour fried vegetable.I was disappointed that the tofu wasn't fresh though but the frozen quality where there was more skin than the soft silky tofu itself and instead chewy and dry. The rest of dish was great though, generously portioned and an abundance of fresh vegetables beautifully cut up and the sweet and sour made it all very appetising. With that I had the garlic whislt my boyfriend ordered some Thai sticky rice. I wish they used the Thai fragrant rice variety but instead it was more long grain rice. But my garlic rice was still very pleasing, not too oily and subtle hints of garlic so it's not overpowering the mains when accompanying them. But my boyfriend was really disappointed with his sticky rice as it was over steamed in the bamboo container it came in so became very dry and chewy. It was near impossible to separate the rice so he left his unfinished. But overall the meal was fantastic and a high appraisal on the level of cooking and the attention to detail. Food presentation was amazing, each presented like a piece of artwork with the use of vegetables to colour each dish and the portion generous. The menu was greatly decorated too in a nice cover, extensive but I do recommend having more unique dishes different to the other hundreds of Thai restaurant in London. Service was friendly and although English was none of their first language it made the meal feel more authentic. My boyfriend funnily enough ordered milk and as confused as they were they still catered it and presented it in a very nice cappuccino cup. With just little improvements needed in certain places l I can see this Thai becoming more popular as it is already getting very good reviews. It is in a weird location on Brick Lane market but its not like it has any competitors nearby.

    Duck
    Nit S.

    We were looking for a good place to go to eat around Liverpool Street/Shoreditch and where else do you go to find a great eating establishment -Yelp. This place boasts itself as authentic Thai and for my money it delivers. We started off with a mixed starter platter which was value for money - it came with fish cakes, spring rolls, dumplings, chicken satay and an interesting rice crispy esque starter. For our mains me and my partner shared a few dishes including pad Thai which was very good, a duck curry and some garlic rice. The curry was quite nice but the duck seemed a bit too fattening. The service was very good with the staff polite and quick to bring the food over and their assistance when required. The food is very filling and some of the dishes coming with a kick. I will want to go back and try the other parts of the menu. Overall for what we paid and the quality of the meal I would highly recommend visiting. The decor inside is very cool to with lots of Buddha statues.

    Pad Thai
    Sheetal M.

    I genuinely loved the food here! And it was pretty reasonable as well! Located at the top of Brick Lane, towards Shoreditch High Street end, it is not a far walk from the market or Old Truman's Brewery. The staff are dressed in traditional Thai outfits and and very friendly and helpful. The decor is really quite splendid as well, with statues of buddhas and a wooden, carved archway in the middle of the restaurant. To start with, my partner and I shared a mixed starter and this was such value for money!! For £12.50, we got satay chicken, sesame prawn toast, thai fish cakes, fried dumplings, spring rolls, chicken wings, prawn roll ups and some crispy deep fried pasta type thing, with three sauces (one being the satay one). It was soooooooo tasty!! And I was amazed at how much we got for the price that it was considering that one starter was around £5-£7. So if you come here, then definitely go for the mixed starter option! For mains we shared a Panang with Duck, Garlic Rice and Pad Thai with Chicken. The curry was extremely delicious and full of flavour - I literally could not stop eating it! And the Pad That was great! Sticky and sweet but then you get the nuts and the basil and the chilli. Great. It was soooooo good that we couldn't actually finish it! But I totally loved it all. I will totally be coming back here!

    Lindsay K.

    Best curry I've ever had. I tried the red curry. Loved the Pad Thai and the coconut pancake dessert as well. Very traditional atmosphere. Staff was lovely. The whole experience was great! Definitely will be back!

    Green curry and chicken satay
    Andrew M.

    A pretty solid thai restaurant. At lunch they do a deal with a main course and starter for £8.50 or a main on its own for £6. I went for the chicken satay skewers and green curry with chicken. Both were pretty good. The atmosphere is laid back and the service friendly. I'll be back to try some of the other dishes to see if it warrants that fifth star.

    The wood carving table

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    Qumer T.

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    8 years ago

    Loved the food they served us but the menu was completely Korean and different from what's posted

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    They put way too much sauce in the dishes. Me and my friend both got sick afterwards.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Kinkao Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Kinkao

    It took some time to decide what to order, I'm usually quick in a Thai place but they had a pretty big menu.

    Mentioned in 19 reviews

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    K Place - Those are extractor fans.

    K Place

    3.4(30 reviews)
    1.0 miAldgate
    ££

    K, K Place, I really wanted to like you but, in the end, you were just (O)K…read more We'd read some things about how K Place was doing an AYCE Korean BBQ option. It's so rare in London that we thought we should definitely give it a try. We made a reservation for Friday night easily and they were flexible when we were running late. When we arrived, we headed down the stairs to the basement where the restaurant was. It isn't a huge place, with seating for about 30-40. Not all of the tables have grills, but the vast majority do. We were seated near the entrance and heard another group come in for karaoke and were directed out of the restaurant, so if you're looking for dinner and karaoke all in one - K Place could be a great option! After having a look at the menu, we decided to go with Set B Buffet, which was described as 10 course buffet with unlimited meats (£28.99). They also have a Set C with unlimited meats and seafood for £33.99. Soon after ordering, the dishes started to arrive. Banchan arrived first with 4 dishes: kimchi, radish kimchi, beansprouts, and cucumbers(?!). Odd. The cucumbers weren't the usual pickled cucumbers (oijangajji) but just some slices of raw cucumber. Maybe they had just run out of their pickles for the day? But we would have preferred them not providing this super random banchan. All the banchan were OK, but a bit bland. Next came the egg roll, dakdoritang (chicken and potato spicy stew) and mackerel. Everything was fine, though the dakdoritang was a bit bland as was the egg roll. The mackerel was overcooked. The kimchi pancake was standard, not the best I've ever had but not the worst - pretty middle of the road. The steamed mussels was probably the highlight. Fresh and sweet, cooked well in their own juices and a sprinkling of green onion. We then received a platter of 9 different meats - it was easy to tell that these weren't the highest quality. Yes, I know I'm at an AYCE place but I've had great quality AYCE meat at Korean BBQ places (Looking at you, LA). Spicy pork, (fatty) chicken, pork belly, rib eye, chuck, etc. all super unmemorable and pretty bland. At least the service was good and our server came over to turn over the meats and cut them for us. They gave us a small platter of some vegetables to grill as well as lettuce to wrap the meat in. There was also a huge container of ssamjang, which I always slather into my lettuce wraps so that was a plus as well. We could have ordered more meat since we weren't stuffed but found it all just mediocre and decided that we didn't want the extra calories for such blah food. Sigh, I had high hopes but I think I'll just wait until I'm back in LA to have the real deal. Additionally, at this price point, I expected a bit more. Maybe due to it being in the City, they charge more? The hunt for good AYCE Korean BBQ in London continues.

    I had never tried Korean barbecue before so I was excited to give this place a go. It's on the…read moretastecard which is how I found it so you can get some money off your bill and if you select the 10 course set menu you really get enough food to be stuffed by the end. As I found out, when you go for Korean barbecue you have the actual barbecue in the middle of your table so you can cook your own meat and veggies just like you want them. But before you get to that there is an array of delicious starters and sides that are put in your table, meats, fish, seafood, vegetables, rice and soups. Once you go through most of those, you meats of choice are brought out and the barbecue is turned heated up. You can then start cooking your steaks using the special wooden cutlery and cut them up with a pair or scissors. This way you can be sure you have everything as soon as it's done and nothing gets cold. We decided to go with the set menu that offers 3 types of meat per person but if you really want to push your limits or have not eater for days there's an unlimited meat option too. If you pick that one, I salute you. Anyway, I definitely enjoyed everything I tried and look forward to going back soon. I recommend going there with a group as that would be great fun and you can order a greater variety of foods. Either way it's worth putting it in your schedule.

    Photos
    K Place - Cook food at your table

    Cook food at your table

    K Place
    K Place

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    Jinjuu - Kimchi Fried Rice and Seoul Survivor Cocktail

    Jinjuu

    4.1(115 reviews)
    3.0 miSoho
    £££

    Great food. Awesome atmosphere. And located in one of London's most poppin' neighborhoods. If you…read morelike Korean food, this is your new jam. The interior gives you a sense of being in an underground bar somewhere in Asia, and it comes complete with Pucca dolls nestled on top of the booze bottles behind the bar. There is seating both upstairs and downstairs, but given how crazy it gets, if you're planning on coming, book in advance. I've eaten here twice, and I can safely say that the food is legit! It's surprisingly authentic given the location, and the drinks aren't half-bad, either. The Bibimbap with Bulgogi Beef is one of my favorites, thus far, with the perfect ratio of rice to beef, kimchi to veggies. It's one hearty dish, so come hungry. The Signature Fried Chicken is also done to perfection, and if you've ever had Korean Fried Chicken before, you know what I'm talking about. It's not expensive, but sadly, you only get 2 pieces. Believe me, you will want more. I can also vouch for the cocktails. Being a girly drinker myself, I can't pass up a delicious fruity cocktail from people who know how to put it together well. However, they also have a great Happy Hour with some of the cheapest beer you'll find to pair perfectly with your meal. That is how they do it in Korea anyway, isn't it?

    They treated us like no other. 12/10 stars…read more You want to come here for not only fine surrounding but TOP Shelf food.

    Photos
    Jinjuu - My Pret coffee wrapped in tissues because it offended "the manager"

    My Pret coffee wrapped in tissues because it offended "the manager"

    Jinjuu - Kimchi fried rice

    Kimchi fried rice

    Jinjuu - Little Seoul- Nikka Whiskey, Amaro, Dark Chocolate, Bitters, & Sweet Vermouth

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    Little Seoul- Nikka Whiskey, Amaro, Dark Chocolate, Bitters, & Sweet Vermouth

    Tayyabs - Prawns

    Tayyabs

    3.9(791 reviews)
    0.5 miWhitechapel
    ££

    Upon sitting we were asked if we wanted popadoms and we said sure why not. Complimentary salad was…read morein one hand and the popadoms were in another. Beware: you will get charged for this!!! We got the dry meat and it was a good portion, nothing exceptional per se. The naan had pools of ghee on it which I don't think was necessary. The menus are sticky and the bathrooms are pretty dirty. We got a salty lassi which we asked to be a bit thicker which they accommodated and appreciated!

    Absolutely loved Tayyabs!…read more The one thing I knew I needed when visiting London was Indian food and I'm so happy I found this restaurant. Found this restaurant on Yelp after seeing such great reviews and I wasn't disappointed! At first, I was nervous my friend and I wouldn't get a table due to how busy the restaurant was but since we were only two people, we had no issue getting a table. Seating is tight! You are almost arm to arm with the individuals sitting around you which I actually found to be a great experience. My friend and I ended up striking conversation with the people next to us which led to a fun dining experience. Service was quick! We ordered food and it came out quickly and all waiters were super attentive. In terms of food, everything was absolutely delicious and portion sizes were huge! First we ordered the lamb chops and the samosas which were absolutely amazing. We then ordered the chicken and lamb dishes with the naan which completely filled us. I can't wait to come back and I will absolutely be dreaming about this restaurant until I come back!

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    Tayyabs
    Tayyabs - Dahl

    Dahl

    Tayyabs - Lamb Chops

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    Lamb Chops

    Kinkao - halal - Updated July 2026

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