Lahpet started life as a residency at Maltby Street Market and has now found its first bricks-and-mortar site on a prime spot just past Boxpark. A neutral colour palette of copper finishes and faux foliage looks the Shoreditch part, but what really sets this place apart is its contemporary take on Burmese cuisine, best described as a mix of Chinese, Laotian, Indian and Thai influences.
Starting snacks including a supremely buttery and flaky yellow pea paratha, and miniature dumplings in which a translucent skin conceals a Balachaung filling alive with ginger and fiery chilli. Elsewhere, the vibrant Lahpet salad (made with tea leaves) is crunchy with peanuts, and pillowy-soft roast aubergine comes stuffed with a heady mix of dried shrimp and oyster mushrooms, best enjoyed with a side of sticky coconut rice. Desserts include banana and caramelised peanut ice cream, crowned with a shard of dark chocolate and rolled in poppy seeds, while classic cocktails are remixed with floral flavours in the likes of a Lemongrass Mimosa. Keenly priced and with a buzzy atmosphere, Lahpet is an intriguing addition to London’s Asian restaurant scene.