The Paddyfield

The bad bits; the atmosphere is really not great. The music was pretty bad 80s/​90s pop and the acoustics were such that I couldn’t hear someone talking sat across the table from me, once the restaurant had filled up a bit. The food was tasty but not spectacular. Annoyingly there was a 15% service charge on top of everything; auto-​tipping annoys me generally but I though 15% was a bit ridiculous, fortunately the food was pretty cheap which brings me to…
The good bits; the food was good. It was tasty, cheap, large portions and the best was that it felt very authentic. The waiter was very polite and helpful; recommending dishes with various levels of spice and advising on how to eat certain foods in what I assumed was the traditional way.
I would probably go again and would definitely consider getting a takeaway. Note they don’t take cards so grab some cash before you go (there’s plenty of banks with ATMs round the corner).

Upside:
It’s cheap, it’s big portions, and the food tastes authentic. What more do you need? The food comes quickly too and there’s a big menu, so you won’t get bored if you’re a regular. The location is fab, in the centre of Balham. And they now do delivery through My Delivery Cab!
Downside:
Slightly crowded inside, not suitable for intimate meals. Also not open for lunch every single day — cant remember which days — check before going.

I went with a group for lunch to ‘The Paddyfield’ in Balham for the first time today, and all in all had a fantastic experience.
Don’t be put off by the size and décor of the restaurant — The food truly makes up for it.
As another reviewer mentioned, it may not be ideal for a romantic date, But for a quick bite to eat or relaxed meal with family and friends I cant think of a bad thing about it.
They don’t serve alcohol on the premises but the incredibly friendly staff were more than happy to point us in the direction of the nearest off licence and grab us some wine glasses.
I went along with family on a Sunday afternoon and there was a really nice ambiance, probably 2 or 3 other small groups of people in the restaurant so we were lucky to have caught that comfortable medium between ram packed and awkwardly empty.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their food, the chicken peanut curry & beef with vermicelli noodles being favourites in our group.
We were also given an additional rice dish to go with our meal free of charge which was a really nice gesture.
The price was very reasonable, I’d say expect to pay around 12 quid per person for a delicious, filling meal (without drinks)
I will definitely be returning to try some more dishes!!!

I went here in a last-​minute decision to find somewhere for a date when the local Cattle Grid was full up, and I am very pleased that I did.
You should know up front that there is nothing fancy about this place.
The menu is simple-​looking: black on red, laminated card, Times New Roman I-didn’t-put-effort-into-this fare, the furniture is simple wooden square-​cornered stuff you could find anywhere, the waiting staff are t-​shirted and sometimes are in fact the kitchen staff too and of course they don’t have an alcohol license, so there’s no exciting imported Vietnamese or Thai beer/​wine to choose from.
I can’t fault the Paddyfield for that, though, because it presents itself with no pretence. Everything about it that mattered was good.
The menus are rich and varied, with all of the standard Vietnamese and Thai favourites and a few new things (at least for me) thrown in there for a nice surprise. There are plenty of tables which are close enough to give it a homely, friendly atmosphere amongst the customers but far away enough that you can eat your meal in privacy. The waiting staff are by far some of the most welcoming and honest people I’ve ever been served food by. In particular, after eating my chicken Pad Thai our waiter — who may also have been the chef — came over and sheepishly asked for my «honest opinion» if there was anything about the quality of the meal I could tell him, since it was a new recipe. It was delicious, I said — no complaints. What a nice guy. Finally, the BYOB aspect of the restaurant adds to the homely vibe — and saves a bit of money too.
Check it out!

I had been meaning to give ‘The Paddyfield’ a visit for a while now, so when my mother in law (a big fan of Vietnamese food) was in town for a short trip, the opportunity seemed too good to miss.
Unfortunately I forget its a BYOB, but its not the end of the world… and we both happily make do with tap water.
We decide to share a starter, and settle on the fresh prawn spring rolls £3.90. These came recommended by the friendly waiter. Served with hoisin sauce, and marinated in lemon grass, the soft spring rolls were a welcome change from the usual fried alternative. So far so good…
Not long after we are surprised by a large (and I mean large) complimentary bowl of Seafood Salad, this is the highlight of the meal, as not only is it free, but it tastes delicious. Marinated with garlic, mint, fresh chill, coriander and lemon juice, the dish is generously topped with large pieces of calamari, shrimp and mussels, Yummy.
But here is where it all begins to go down hill, mid meal I realise there is no card machine, and have to make a dash to HSBC round the corner to withdraw some cash.
Having sampled the starter and freebie Vietnamese salad, we foolishly order Thai dishes for our mains, and the results were sadly sub par. The main dishes are almost ten pounds each, and do not include rice, although one complimentary portion is provided when we do ask. The Thai green curry was overly creamy, and although spicy, lacking in flavour.
Perhaps they over compensate on prices due to the lack of booze on the menu. But it’s unusual in most places to order a main for over ten pounds that does not include rice.
Skipping dessert and with only the tap water to drink, we walk out short of just under £35. Not bad really. Have since been back, and the complimentary sea food salad made another appearance, we skipped the Thai dishes and had a much better time for it.
All in all a great little place, but bring cash, and stick to the Vietnamese options!

I’m with Craig M on this one. Sounds so good on paper — Viet/​Thai combo, BYO, 2 minutes from my house. But the food was pretty average, and I found the service super annoying. They wanted to set up my phở for me (adding all the beansprouts, leaves etc), but I wanted to do it myself. I’ve eaten phở across Vietnam and am pretty clear on how I like it.
The owner came over and tried really hard to convince me to let him do it on the grounds that ‘we do it differently than everywhere else’. Not sure why they would. Anyway, I don’t like having to argue with the owner to eat my food the way I want to. Plus the food is pretty pricey for what it is. Main reason to go there is if you fancy phở and can’t bear the trek to the kingsland road.

Hmmm… I’m torn.
1^st star — it’s BYOB. Win.
2^nd star — the Vietnamese food is authentic and tasty — I really loved the fresh spring rolls. My friend thinks it’s the best Phở she’s had for some time.
3^rd star — it’s unpretentious and relaxed. Lovely atmosphere. It’s a small place so you’re all squeezed in together which makes for a fun night.
And that’s where the stars stop.
Why only 3? Well, firstly, it’s not that cheap. I do think it’s worth paying for decent Vietnamese food, especially as there are bugger all other options in the area, but they also serve fairly average thai food which is the same price and not nearly as good as other places nearby. £9 for a yellow curry, excluding rice and tiny bowl of it. Secondly, the portions and prices are all mixed up. My friend has the laksa, which was delicious and came in a HUGE bowl. It was effectively a curry, tastier than mine and 3 times the size. And it was cheaper. Whaaaaaat? I was upset by this. £3 for a plate of ‘prawn crackers’ from a packet is not acceptable. Nor, unfortunately, is ordering at 8.30pm and getting your mains at 9.50. They were SUPER busy on a Friday night.
All in all, I’ll probably go again. I’ll have the Vietnamese and not the Thai (or that delicious Laksa). I’ll go on a weeknight when other reviewers seemed to have had a better service experience.
You’ve got to try harder to impress me, Paddyfield.

Give it a go folks.

We had first heard about this place from other friends living in Balham, so once we moved there it’s no surprise that it was one of the first local places we tried out. They have a good selection of Vietnamese and Thai food — upon arrival it was already heaving with people but we managed to grab a seat. Service was fast and friendly and the food was authentic.
I would recommend the summer rolls and fishcakes to start followed by one of the selection of phos’ (Vietnamese rice noodle with broth and beef/​seafood/​chicken/​veggies) or the laksa or the veggie red curry. We’ve had the same waiter each time, friendly bald guy who has also thrown in loads of freebies and by loads I mean LOADS.
After the first time you go, you can probably hold back on ordering starters since he is 100% sure to come out with free tom yum soups for the table and an amazing seafood or beef salad or sometimes both! We took my family (half Vietnamese) there for a feast and needless to say we were stuffed before our mains even arrived.
We’re regulars now at The Paddyfield, and I almost guarantee if you live in the area you will be too once you’ve eaten here. Great service, food and value for money — what more could you ask for?

Wow. Just wow.
I was over on holiday and met up with an old friend who owed me dinner for a big favor I’d done for him. After collecting me at the train station, we walked a few blocks over to this very unpretentious, simple, but packed little spot off the High Street.
We grabbed a couple of beers from the off-​license across the street and were able to get a table pretty quickly, even though the place was packed at 9:30pm. The waiter dropped off a couple of (free) summer rolls to hold us over while we waited to order and after one bite, I was blown away. Simply the freshest cleanest Thai food I think I’ve ever had.
I ordered the green curry and it was absolutely brilliant… simple yet complex flavor. Every bite exploded in my mouth.
As an exiled New Yorker on tour in London, The Paddyfield is totally recommended and it gets two thumbs up!

very good food for price with bring your own booze makes this place cheap.

The Paddyfield is a bit like Wagamama’s, except without the good food, decent service, and nice surroundings Seriously — it’s bad, very, very bad.
It reminds me a bit of Pete Docherty; beyond its sell by date, rough around the edges, trading on a undeserved reputation, and in dire need of being put out of its misery.
Avoid. Get a sandwich from Sainburys, a kebab from Flava’s, anything. Even going hungry is a better option.

I don’t really get the fuss about Paddyfield. It is often cited as something of a Balham institution, but in my view it’s just not that impressive.
The main complaint I have is that the food is, quite frankly, a bit boring. It seems to lack the spice and zing of good quality Thai cooking.
On top of this, the portion sizes are extremely small, and the prices are a smidge too high for such a low budget venue.
If Paddyfield was either much cheaper, served more interesting food, or had nicer surroundings then I might be tempted — but as it is I can’t find any real reason to go back.

I can be a pretty fussy restaurant goer due to years in the hospitality business but I felt immediately comfortable in the Paddyfield.
Unpretentious with décor, service with added banter (not to mention a faintly ludicrous amount of free food just because I’d never been to the restaurant before) and food that was very impressive to the tastebuds!
A fusion of Thai and Vietnamese dishes make up the menu — authenticity of said food would only be in doubt if you’re an unwashed backpacker straight off the plane from Bangkok.
I’m now a very regular visitor to the Paddyfield — give it a go! Compared to some other higher charging establishments not too far away on Bedford Hill this place is a bargain.

I’ve mentiioned before that I don’t often dine out in South London– probably something to do with bad transport links. I went to The Paddyfield as a friend had said it was one of the best Thai /​Vietnamese restaurants she had been to in London. This clearly meant something as my friend si quite a fussy eater and has eaten the real thing when she was travelling in Vietnam. It was definitely worth the journey to Balham and luckily that night the Northern Line was not delayed. The Paddyfield is a graet little place like many of the Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road where you can bring your own bottle. With our glasses filled with white grenach I began to browse the menu. Not sure if the waiter thought we were taking too long or he was just being helpful but he recommended a few dishes. I was not disappointed with my spicy noodles and beef salad (yes I was hungry that night!) and even happier when the we were given complimentary spring rolls. So now I have a real reason to go South of the river I will be returning very soon.

Definately my favorite place in Balham– chilled, no frills, just great authentic food at an extremely reasonable price. Fantastic noodles, curries and soup based noodle dishes– a bit like wagamamma but better– and you decide exactly how you want it since the waiter adds in chilli, hoisin etc etc at your table.
It gets busy– but thats part of the charm. Wouldnt recommend it if you’re looking for somewhere ‘special’ or upmarket– its more like a café inside and tables are quite close together (to get as many people in cos everyone loves it!) so not really an intimate private setting.
If youre looking for authenticity and would rather have tasty quick food than tasteful interior, tablecloths and serviettes look no further.

Since moving to Balham this place has become a firm favourite. Eat in and it’s ‘bring your own’ booze making it a cheap choice for a quick bite. The thai food it serves is delicious, fresh and well cooked. The staff are friendly and the service is very good.
The only downside is that you can’t book a table and it can get very busy on weekend evenings. I often pop in here for a takeway (it doesn’t deliver) and that can take a while but it’s usually worth the wait. The manager often throws in a free soup when he recognises me too!