There are few positive words that haven’t been said about Annita Potter’s cooking since she opened her restaurant with its cinnamon walls and central kitchen in 2022. Uncompromising. Personal. Soulful. Textural. Brilliant. Dare we say, it’s unforgettable too? Certainly, if your only encounter with Thai food was the occasional takeaway curry, experiencing Viand’s coconut and galangal mussel soup for the first time would be like upgrading from a transistor radio to surround sound.

Thump, grind, thud goes the pestle against mortar as Potter and her dedicated team pound aromatics and herbs into pastes. A fragrant curry of minced quail, young ginger and snake beans builds momentum and flavour with each bite; Skull Island prawns are deftly grilled and honed with green chilli dressing; and lacy egg-net pyramids housing palm-sugared shallots, chicken and lemongrass are a fan-favourite constant. Crunch. Zip. Zing. Kapow.

Good to know: Viand is a tasting-menu affair at dinner, but on Thursday and Friday you can order lunch a la carte and BYO.

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