Nipa Thai Restaurant London Review
Nipa Thai
London
Reviewed by Emma Rogers
Nipa Thai, one of only a handful of restaurants in London which has been credited as authentic Thai cuisine by the Thai government, is on the first floor of the Lancaster London Hotel, right opposite the Italian Gardens of Kensington Palace. Not the most obvious place for a Thai restaurant, but the decor more than makes up for it!
The restaurant, which serves around 40 covers, is decorated in a Thai style, with comfortable tables not too close to one another and its location within the hotel on the first floor means there is no noise from passing trade, diners can be assured that the restaurant is cosy and yet still has very large windows with a view over Kensington Gardens.
There are several wines to choose from, but we opted for the cocktails, which I was surprised to see included mocktails for those of us who don’t drink. The staff paid attention to detail with adding a little slice of lemon to our sparkling water and bringing over a complimentary mushroom salad and prawn crackers before our starters arrived. The Maître D’ came over to help us with our choices from the menu – she suggested going for the Chandra set menu, which included a taster starter, soup, curry and dessert followed by coffees or teas. From the ample choice on the menu it seemed like a good idea to get some guidance!
First, the starters comprised of chicken satay, Thai fish cakes, mushroom parcels and a spring roll each, with sauces for each delicacy. The waiter was helpful to point out what each starter was and which sauce (peanut, chilli etc.) was for each item. Then came the soup – coconut soup, made from the flesh of the coconut rather than the milk, with lemon grass, lime and huge king prawns. I don’t think I’ve ever had coconut soup before, but I would definitely order it again. It tasted of coconut but without the same sweetness, offset by the lemon grass and lime leaves. The main course was a mixture; their green curry chicken, jasmine rice, noodles and steamed asparagus. The dish was for 2 people, but there was far too much. We were instructed to mix in the noodles with the prawns and peanut topping which created a lovely mixture of light noodles and fragrant vegetables. The green chicken curry was just the right strength and mixed with the jasmine rice was delicious! I can’t eat too much rice, so I tried the asparagus, which was cooked just right with some bite to it still instead of soggy and stringy, which is how it usually gets served.
The dessert was the most interesting of the dishes because the Maître D’ brought out three for us to try. The mixed fruit platter (grapes, watermelon, guava and pineapple) is not something you usually get in a restaurant these days, so it was a nice way to cleanse the palate. I had a sumptuous coconut ice cream, served in a coconut shell and plenty of it was there too. It looked to be freshly made and frozen that day, made with fresh coconut. We were brought out the mango and sticky rice dish in addition, and the waitress told us this was one of the most popular dishes – and I could see why. The mango wasn’t like the mango you get in a British supermarket. It was Thai mango – a little bit sweeter and a smoother texture without the fibrous strings you find in the common mango. It was very easy to eat, along with the sticky rice with a sweet (I think it was coconut!) topping to make it all the richer. It was a fantastic ending to the meal and one that I will be trying to create at home and definitely ordering again.
The staff were very hospitable to us, attentive and able to explain each part of the meal as it arrived. They chatted to us a little about what clientele were coming to the restaurant, and it seemed a shame that it isn’t more accessible to passing trade as most people surely miss this little treasure.
It’s reasonably priced too with the Chandra set meal (as described above) for £42 for two. The mocktails were also well priced at £5 each and the main stream cocktails at £9.50 each.
For authentic Thai food and to be somewhere a bit quieter, tucked away from the hustle and bustle and able to talk, this is a great restaurant for couples (the restaurant was full of them) or friends catching up. It’s not the kind of place to take small children, but older children will love the choice of foods and the fact that a lot of the food is ‘sweet’ (think coconut and sticky rice) without being unhealthy. There was also a large, but quiet party of business folks in there, which seemed like a fitting place to be able to converse. The staff made it a welcoming place too, which always helps when choosing a new favourite restaurant!
Beautiful food, lovely staff and a really different place to eat in charming surroundings.
Nipa has also received 2 AA Rosettes for its precise, authentic cooking with incredible attention to detail.
Rating: 5/5 
For more information, to view menus or to make a booking visit www.niparestaurant.co.uk.
Nipa Thai, Lancaster London Hotel, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY | 020 7551 6039
