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Four top tables for celebrating the festival of Songkran (Thai New Year) in true foodie fashion.

4 Top Thai restaurants

Patara
London, UK

The name translates as “gracious lady”, and you’ll find the finest contemporary Thai food at this Soho eatery, like rice paper rolls with prawns, crabmeat and five-spiced duck. Expect Thai dance and special menus to mark Songkran.
Two-course meal with a glass of wine, about €35. 15 greek street, tel: +44 (0)20 7437 1071, www.pataralondon.com
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Rainbow garden
Frankfurt, Germany

This good-quality central Frankfurt eatery is bedecked with Asian artefacts – despite the name, there’s not a rainbow nor a garden in sight. Ideal for a relaxed family meal or informal business meeting, its dishes include red catfish curry, and chicken marinated in fresh ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander, garlic, basil and dill – steamed in banana leaves. A delight!
Two-course meal with a glass of wine, about €28. 1–7 dusseldorfer strasse, tel: +49 (0)69 252066, www.rainbowgarden.de
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Chili Club
Dublin, Ireland

One of Dublin’s first Thai restaurants, this charming venue is renowned for its spicy green chicken curry with bamboo shoots, basil and green beans. Other delightful dishes include sweetcorn patties with garlic and coriander, and sliced roast crispy duck with sweet tamarind sauce. Prettily decorated with Thai furniture, artwork and flickering candles, this is the perfect place to get your chilli fix. Three-course set dinner with a glass of wine, about €31. 1 anne’s lane, south anne street, tel: +353 (0)1 677 3721, www.chiliclub.ie
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Khon Thai
Berlin, Germany

Crispy tofu salad with green mango, Thai herbs and peanuts – it’s this sort of dish, a symphony of tastes and textures, that Khon Thai does so well. Try it alongside fried beef in red curry with coconut cream, green pepper, holy basil and lime leaves, and perhaps finish with baked pineapple with honey and sesame. This informal, unpretentious eatery also has a lovely cocktail bar.
Two-course lunch with a glass of wine, about €11. 144 uhlandstrasse, tel: +49 (0)30 600 58757, www.khon-thai.de
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The Foodies’ Column

Krua Thai
Cookery School
Edinburgh, Scotland

Try your hand at courses like traditional Thai cooking or fruit and vegetable carving, at this acclaimed Thai cookery school. The experienced team teach either oneto-one or with groups of up to four, sharing trade secrets and special techniques. Bespoke courses are also offered.
19 Liberton Brae, Tel: +44 (0)131 664 3036, www.kruathai.co.uk
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Angela Malik’s Thai
Pop-Up Kitchen
London, Uk

Celebrity chef Angela Malik runs her “pop-up kitchen” in west London on the last Friday of every month, with a different theme each time. The next one on 25 March will feature the food and flavours of the Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand. Dates change in April, due to the Bank Holiday.
6 Churchfield Road, Tel: +44 (0)20 8992 5011, www.angelamalik.co.uk
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