Budapest is becoming more and more open and enthusiastic about the flavors of the Far East, as indicated by the growing number of eateries in the city. The cuisine of Southeast Asia often combines elements of different culinary traditions, so it’s no wonder most Vietnamese diners also have Thai dishes on the menu. Fortunately, yet another authentic Thai establishment has opened, and one that knows its tom ka from its tom yum.

You won’t find the essence of Thai cuisine resides not in fancy restaurants decorated by heavy chandeliers and cloth napkins but at simple outlets in the prosaic streets of Pest. Thailand is a must-visit destination for all serious gastro-tourists – nonetheless, not everyone is fortunate enough to visit Bangkok just to visit the local eateries. Instead, you can sample of authentic Thai cuisine at recently opened Kao Hom, located between Blaha Lujza Square and Astoria.

This buffet can seat a total of 12 guests at a time, using both the ground floor and the gallery. However, the limited space isn’t a problem, as this diner is best suited for on-the-hoof lunches, quick dinners and afternoon snacks. The design is simple and mismatched, with a Buddhist altar packed with fruit and goose-shaped salt shakers, making it obvious that food takes the limelight here – the interior design is secondary.

The menu is quite extensive, listing nine types of soup, 14 types of stir-fry dishes, six types of curry and surprisingly, seven types of vegetarian dishes. Most Asian eateries only have few, tofu-stuffed vegetarian options, so Kao Hom caters to an oft-neglected audience by offering a wider variety of meatless dishes. In the case of meaty foods, however, you can choose from a variety of options: chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. Spicy dishes are marked with a tiny chili pepper, but the waiters are happy to answer any question you might have, or recommend a dish if you simply cannot choose.

You might try a large bowl of creamy, silky, sweet tom ka soup (1050 HUF) first, made with coconut milk, lemongrass, mushroom and shrimp. The dark-colored quay jub soup (1150 HUF) is also recommended, served with parboiled pork and hardboiled egg, and seasoned with soy and star anise, which creates a rather unusual flavor. From the stir-fry dishes, the pad ba mee luang (1650 HUF) is made with fried egg noodles, carrot, cabbage, wood ear mushroom, onions and pork. The curries look exciting: kaang keaw wan (1950 HUF) is a spicy green variety made with bamboo shoots, zucchini and shrimp. The menu lists several other options, including red, yellow, panang and massaman curries – not to mention the desserts, coconut and mango tapioca cream and sticky rice pudding (450 HUF).