This bustling city on the Thames River has leafy parks, a thriving arts community and a variety of attractions like Museum London, the 20-acre, family-friendly Storybook Gardens, the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum and the London Regional Children's Museum. Golfers will find a variety of nearby picturesque and challenging courses, including the Thames Valley Golf Club, Maple Ridge Golf Club, Fanshawe Golf & Country Club and Forest City National Course. The city also boasts a lively culinary scene, with restaurants to suit all tastes, including individuals who have a craving for Thai cuisine.
Ben Thanh
This downtown London restaurant, named for the famous market in Ho Chi Minh, features an extensive menu for take-out or eat-in. The dining room, open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. (11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday), features warm woods, dim lights, and fresh flowers and plants. The menu, including Vietnamese and Thai choices, offers a variety of hot and cold drinks, like young coconut juice, lychee fruit, hot soya milk and mung (black-eyed beans and red beans with coconut milk.) There is also a large selection of smoothies and bubbles (sweetened tapioca balls.) Diners often start with appetizers like the sugar cane shrimp or Thai crispy shrimp. There are several noodle soups and vermicelli bowls, rice entrees prepared on the grill, in the wok or with spicy curry, and a wide assortment of seafood, beef, pork and chicken dishes.
Ben Thanh
57 York Street
London, ON
Canada N6A 1A6
(519) 438-4888
Bangkok Pad Thai
"The London Free Press" voted the Pad Thai at this casual, come-as-you-are eatery the best in town. The dining room offers take-out or dine-in service. The atmosphere is cheery with bright colored, yellow walls and red Thai tablecloths. Guests start with an appetizer tray that includes spring rolls, golden shrimp, wontons and chicken satay. The house specialty is the Bangkok Pad Thai with stir-fried rice noodles, chicken, egg, bean sprouts and green onion with a choice of sauces. Other popular noodle dishes include the coconut curry noodle and the chicken peanut pasta. The main curry dishes--red, green or yellow curry served with pork, chicken or beef--are also top choices. The restaurant also offers several vegetarian dishes.
Bangkok Pad Thai
735 Richmond Street
London, ON
Canada N6A 3H2
(519) 433-6634
Thaifoon Restaurant
This elegant restaurant has linen-topped tables, dim lighting, dark woods, leather booths, a trickling waterfall and antique artwork and sculptures to help set a sophisticated, subdued atmosphere. The restaurant has a full-service bar and an extensive menu. Specialties include the Pad Thai with grilled tiger shrimp, crispy Chiang Mai with chicken, beef and shrimp, Thai basil, panko crusted salmon and pan fried tilapia.
Thaifoon Restaurant
120 Dundas Street
London, ON
Canada N6A 1G1
(519) 850-1222
About The Author
Pamela Wright is a freelance writer, author of more than two dozen guidebooks, and hundreds of articles. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including "National Geographic Traveler," "Family Circle," "Family Fun," "Backpacker," "Hemispheres," "Cooking Light," "Yankee" and more. An active member of the Society of American Travel Writers, she holds a Bachelor's from Michigan State University
