Walkin'Thai

Follow Walkin’Thai on Facebook at the risk of salivating on your desk with every daily special announcement: “Mm, it smells good in here, like stir-fried ginger chicken and vegetables…” or, “Come in for lunch today, we’re tossing chicken and Thai basil in the wok.” These status updates, of course, come with graphic, full-colour photographs of said dishes. It’s enough to make you hungry for Thai food every day of the week.

The owner knows the feeling. Brusseleer Matthieu Damman opened Walkin’Thai in January because he wanted to eat “fresh, fast and easy” Thai food on a daily basis, like they do on the streets in Thailand, where he recently enjoyed a six-month tour. “Everything else just tastes kind of bland compared to Thai food,” he explains. Later, when I ask his advice on which condiments to add to my soup, he lets me know that “most Thai people add them all.” So I sprinkle in a little salty oyster sauce, some fiery chilli pepper- and garlic-infused sriracha, a splash of vinegar and a tiny bit of sugar.

The extras are nice, adding some spicy, tangy, salty and sweet undertones to the dish, but the Thai street noodle soup with chicken has plenty of subtle flavour of its own. Heaps of flat, white rice noodles come served in a large bowl, steeped in a light, savoury broth with a generous amount of super-soft chunks of chicken breast, crisp soybean sprouts, Chinese cabbage and fresh coriander leaves. Combined with a starter of steamy, shrimpfilled dim sum, this is the kind of satisfying and healthy meal that keeps you coming back for more. And it costs less than €15. 

38 Rue Lesbroussart (Ixelles), tel 02.647.99.73, www.walkinthai.be