It’s amazing what a makeover can do. No, we’re not talking about a She’s All That-style hair and make-up job, but rather the kind undertaken by pan-Asian Ekachai’s flagship branch at Liverpool Street. As well as the décor, now less modern, but warmer and with more Far East chic, it’s overseen a revamp of the menu, with Malaysian expert Norman Musa coming in as consultant chef. Light bites like the soft-shell crab (£6.50) are crunchy and moreish, the chicken pad Thai (£8.50) hits all the right notes, and the beef in chilli paste (£7.80) is deliciously sweet and spicy, served with a pillow of sticky, fragrant rice. All in all, some welcome fresheners to an already enjoyable lunch spot – here's hoping its other restaurants follow suit.
9-10 Arcade, EC2M 7PN; ekachai.co.uk
