[Review] Two new Thai hotspots in Amsterdam

I've been out and about in Amsterdam recently, trying to get to some of the more newly opened restuarants. To help me keep track of all the latest openings, I like to refer to two great Dutch blogs Your Little Black Book and BySam. Both blogs are written mainly in Dutch, but it's easy enough to find your way around on both. 

I visited two new Thai restaurants lately, both of which were fun and modern. In the middle of town, you will find Adam & Siam on Rokin, while the more casual Soi74 Thai Food Cafe in de Pijp is a little bit more out of the city centre.

Interior at Adam & Siam

Adam & Siam is a restaurant of two halves. It occupies a grand old house, straddling the space between Rokin and Nes with entrances from both streets. Its menu is split between Adam (Dutch style cooking) and Siam (Thai food). The interior is magnificently decorated with bright strong colours, wooden floors and fantastic light fittings. On my visit, I tried the classic Tom Ga Kai soup, with chicken and coconut (€6.50) followed by a spicy Poh Tek (€19.50). This was a lovely mixture beef, chicken, pork, squid and prawns all fried in a dry-style chili paste. 

Top marks here for a stylish and modern take on Thai food. I especially loved the little touches such as the table decorations, the bright blue and white serving dishes and the funky chandelier in the front dining room.

Lovely table setting at Adam & Siam

Tom Ga Kai - Chicken and coconut soup

Spicy Poh Tek

The following week, I visted Soi74 on Van Woustraat, in the hip de Pijp district. This is a lower key spot than Adam & Siam, with more of a casual bar and street food vibe going on.  The prices are correspondingly cheaper too! It's laid out in that classic Dutch style with a ground floor area to the front and a higher seating area to the rear.

I love the menu layout, which is printed on simple sheets of folded brown paper. I ordered a fresh coconut (€5.50), which was cracked open behind the bar, along with a shot of rum to pour in (€4.00). It was a refreshingly treat after a blisteringly hot and sticky day.

Lemongrass satay chicken skewers were delicious, with lots of that rich satay sauce that the Dutch love so much (€4.00) while a beef penang curry was only OK (€10.50). However, I really liked the casual interior and would return again to try another dish.

Interior at Soi74 Thai Food Cafe

Menu at Soi74 Thai Food Cafe

Fresh coconut and rum cocktail

Lemongrass chicken satay skewers

Adam & Siam, Rokin 93, 1012 KM Amsterdam or Nes 104-110, 1012 KE Amsterdam

Tel: +31  (0)20 777 00 80
URL: www.adamsiam.nl
Instagram: @adamensiam

Soi74 Thai Food Cafe, Van Woustraat 74, 1056 EH Amsterdam
Tel +31 (0)20 233 53 64
URL: www.thaifoodcafe.nl
Twitter: @TFCamsterdam