Patara

7 Maddox St,W1S 2QB

Lunch in town on my own.

I don't have a problem eating on my own in restaurants, I really don't. But some of them cater for single diners better than others.

Unfortunately, I was in the Mayfair area, and my Urbanspoon app was really struggling with the ££ limit it was being set. A couple of the places I found were just too uncomfortable looking, so I was very grateful to at last land on the doorstep of Patara, where a table for one was no problem at all.

The Menu:
I went for the £12.50 set lunch, which was fairly standard fare. I picked the fish cakes and the pad thai.

My Meal:
Ironic that when I'm on my own I've actually got the nerve to photograph some of my food. Some very tasty prawn crackers arrived first - the kind that actually taste spicy and perhaps somewhere lurking there, a little bit prawny.


The fish cakes arrived shortly after, and they were actually very good. Not at all rubbery (I'm sure Mr PP's heart sinks every time I order Thai fish cakes - 99 times out of 100 they are rubbery and horrible), they were hot and fresh, served with a delicious cucumber dip.



The pad thai was tasty as well, three fat prawns in the shell nestling on top of well-cooked noodles.

All washed down with a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc ... what better way to fortify yourself for an afternoon's shopping?

What I liked:
Quick, tasty, reasonable value for money.

What I didn't like:
Not that much choice on the set menu - could do better?

Will I be back?:
If I was in the area, sure. But I wouldn't make a special trip.