Industrial Chic

The restaurant everyone is talking about these days, Spice Factory sets itself apart from the rest of the city’s Thai options with industrial chic décor and fairly unique menu offerings. An extensive bar and excellent Thai-inspired cocktail list also make this place an especially appealing one at which to start the night.

In some ways, Spice Factory is reminiscent of much missed Thai restaurant Pink Loft with its concrete and exposed brick, but the feeling here is more cozy. A rather loud jazz soundtrack and renovated factory setting places it somewhere in between Agua, d.lounge and 798.

Some of the food is exciting, stimulating, unique Thai fare. Not all dishes reach these heights, but on the whole it’s very good. The tom yum goong (¥28/person), while mild, is some of the best we’ve had, a wonderful combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavors. The pak chong style chicken and pumpkin curry (¥58) is a delicious fusion-style dish for fall, made with cauliflower, baby corn, pumpkin, green beans, bamboo and Chinese mushrooms. The green papaya salad with prawn (¥48) lacks vibrancy, but the sticky rice balls that come with it are a treat. The generous portion of pad Thai (¥48) is made with a chewier noodle than at other restaurants, with shrimp, egg and tofu and bean sprouts.

Service here is difficult to assess. The waitstaff have a truly impressive knowledge of the food, even making off-menu recommendations. But the dishes arrive in no particular order—our appetizer showing up next to last—and it can be hard to flag down a waitress in the cavernous dining area.

The modest wine list focuses on the Old World, but we’d recommend sticking to the creative, high quality cocktails (¥60-70).

Sienna Parulis-Cook, November, 2011