Nipa Thai London – The most authentic Thai cuisine outside of Bangkok

Recently, I have been eating lots of the same cuisines; my taste buds fancied a change! I booked a table at a Thai restaurant called Nipa Thai in the luxury Hyde Park Thai-owned hotel, the Royal Lancaster. I have only tried Thai cuisine once, so I was excited to try some new things. After reading that Nipa Thai is ‘renowned for serving the most delicious, traditional Thai cuisine in London’, I knew this was the perfect restaurant to explore the world of Thai cuisine.

Authenticity and Recognition

Nipa Thai has been rated as one of the most authentic Thai cuisines outside of Bangkok and recognised by the Thai government for its quality and authenticity. The kitchen is a traditional all-female, all-Thai kitchen; their head chef is Sanguan Parr, who has been at Nipa Thai for over 25 years.

The Luxurious Setting

When you arrive at the Royal Lancaster, you’ll instantly feel impressed by its design and décor throughout the hotel. With gorgeous marble floors, hanging chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls, it certainly made a good impression. We then made our way up the grand marble stairs to the entrance of Nipa Thai, where we were greeted warmly by a friendly face and sat at the window table overlooking London. Sounds romantic, huh?! It was! The restaurant had a cosy ambience, great surroundings and warm lighting; it set the tone for a special evening ahead.

Cocktails to Start

First things first, cocktails! I was intrigued to see they only had three cocktails on the menu: Takari Champagne, Coconut Caipirinha and a Thai-Piroska. My date and I ordered the first two, and they tasted incredible. My date said that their cocktail ‘Takari Champagne’ was one of the best he has ever tried; I would have said the same! I could have drunk them all evening. When it comes to cocktails, it’s all about quality rather than quantity; a smaller cocktail menu of quality-tasting cocktails is much better than a long list of averagely-made ones.

Below is everything we ordered; each dish we tried was outstanding. I will use * for the spice rating: * meaning mild, ** meaning medium spice and *** for extra spicy.

Recommended Starters

Por Pia Tod, crispy spring rolls with glass noodles and crab meat with a homemade sauce
Tod Mun Pla, Thai fish cakes with sweet chilli sauce and cucumber relish topped with toasted peanuts *
Phoo Nim, deep-fried soft-shell crab

Recommended Curries

Phad Kiew Warn Ta Lay, mixed seafood, aubergine and basil served with a rich spicy green coconut curry **

Recommended Pan-Fried Dishes

Koong Tod Kra Tiem Prig Tai, stir-fried prawns with pepper, coriander and crispy fried garlic
Pla Nueng Khing, seabass with fresh ginger, chilli, and mushrooms in a light soy sauce **
Phad Phak Ruam Mitr, stir-fried mixed vegetables

A Memorable Dinner

The dinner was so tasty that I didn’t want it to end! All of the flavours were cooked so perfectly and made to an impeccable standard. I didn’t leave much room for dessert; next time I dine, I’ll take full advantage of the dessert menu. I opted for the deep-fried ice cream as I’d never tried it before; the idea sounded super indulgent, and it was a game-changer for me, so scrumptious!

Dessert Options

Ice Tim Kluay Tod, crunchy fried banana topped with honey and vanilla ice cream
Cake Ma Phrao, baked coconut cheesecake with elderflower sorbet
Ice Tim Ka Ti, coconut ice cream served in the shell